Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said a partnership between Trinidad Lake Asphalt and UWI will help improve the quality of roads in TT. The minister said the asphalt-based cement developed by Trinidad Lake Asphalt which is currently used for airports, highways, and major roads would now be used on secondary and tertiary roads.

“This Trinidad Lake Asphalt produce is very costly but we have been able to work with the company to be able to reduce the price and get a constant supply of a more solid product which we want to use on all roads in TT. Trinidad Lake Asphalt is also working with UWI to create further improvements which will give a more solid surface. We want our roads to be able to withstand the increasing weather effects being caused by climate change.”

Sinanan said his ministry will be focusing on roads, drains and transportation infrastructure with its allocation from the 2022/2023 budget.

Among the plans he listed are proper regulations for the quality of hot mix; the revamping of road maintenance strategies with the help of the Inter-American Development Bank; the hiring of small contractors to fulfil small patch contracts in order to supplement the ministry’s fleet of patcher;, working with WASA to have a quicker response to leaks; reviewing the designing and repair of roads so they last longer; and the recycling of aggregate products to use less asphalt in preparing roads.

Sinanan said bridges and landslips would be another focus of his ministry, as well as drainage and coastal erosion. He said the Caroni River system would be receiving attention next year, including the upgrade of sluice gates, new pumps, gates and pump houses.

He said there had been many drainage and infrastructure plans developed in the past, which had not had an operational component, so the Andean Bank was now developing operation plans from these plans.

Sinanan said he was concerned by the malicious attacks on infrastructure by members of the public recently. He said this came at a considerable cost to the ministry and the communities which were flooded due to this vandalism, and pleaded with people not to interfere with infrastructure.

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