WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said legal action is being contemplated against a resident along the Guaracara-Tabaquite Main Road, with respect to mudslides in the area.
He added this situation may not have happened had the local government corporation responsible for this area not acted swiftly when this matter began in 2022.
That body is the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation.
Sinanan made these comments in response to a matter on the adjournment raised by Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes in the House of Representatives on Friday.
He said Haynes was incorrect to claim his ministry did not address this matter prompty.
"This is an area where one of the residents went and started to illegally quarry the land and damaged a WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority) well."
This has resulted in a continuous flow of water bringing mud down the hill in this area.
Sinanan said, "Had this matter been addressed by the regional corporation in the area immediately as the illegal quarrying started, the burgesses may not have had to go through this for one year."
He admitted this is is not an easy fix.
While the ministry is doing what it can to ensure that the road remains passable, Sinanan said it is considering legal action against the resident whose actions damaged the well.
He added that WASA is doing what it can to repair the damaged well.
Sinanan said under these circumstances, the ministry "can't cant enter into someone's land and build retaining walls, especially when there was a well that was damaged by the burgesses of that constituency."
On another matter raised by Haynes, Sinanan said rehabilitation works on a landslip along Bon Aventure Road will begin soon.
The House next sits on May 29 from 1.30 pm to debate the Municipal Corporations (Extension of Terms of Office and Validation) Bill, 2023.
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