Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works, Kendall Johnson, has revealed that road in an area called Cabanis in the Roseau Valley, which was closed on Wednesday, due to a landslide, may be subject to realignment.
The landslide claimed a portion of the road, east of the Trafalgar/Copthall junction, prompting road closure in that area. Reports are that half of the road, up to 100 feet, fell into the river.
Johnson stated that the Ministry of Public works will conduct “an engineering assessment to find out the cause of that problem, do the necessary surveys, design, and to advise or to recommend a particular course of action.”
He explained, however, that the area is still unsafe and can only be monitored at this time.
“The area is very unstable now, so we really do not want to put our surveyors at risk, but we will keep monitoring. More likely than not, we will advise that we have a northern realignment of that road, that is, put the lanes closer towards the cliff, but we have to work on doing the necessary engineering surveys, and then recommend a particular course of action,” he stated.
This may be due to the heavy showers of rain experienced by Dominica in in the past few days.
The Dominica Met Office says that a high pressure system is the dominant feature across the region, generating a brisk trade wind flow. It said that low level clouds moving with this wind flow will continue to result in occasional cloudiness and scattered showers across the island chain during the next 24 to 48 hours.
Once again… THIS STARTED SINCE ERIKA!!!!!
Since Erika the people of Copthall reaches out to the Parl rep…. nothing was done…
They reached out again, just 5 days before it happened… nothing again.
Please change the Parl rep, or someone will.
This is the area where the back-ho should be sent instead of the fire at Silver Lake.
Clear example of misguided priorities in Dominica.
What part of the area being unstable you did not understand. It is human beings who operate the back hoes, not robots. Sacway gass! Oh sorry,I didn’t notice that you had raised your hand to go operate the back ho.
You are very selfish! The road is undermining in this area however the people who live beyond this point have an alternative route to get home. On the other hand, the people of Silver Lake are practically homeless! Having to be laid up in a school or resource center with little to no privacy has both physical and mental implications! I support the move to deal with Silver Lake first and get the people back in dignified homes in quick time; the Cabanis road can be tended to thereafter!
Nothing Skerrit sets his hand to do prospers no matter if it is done in the North, South, East or West. It’s like he building but somebody greater than him destroying his labor. Has Dominica changed? I mean what other PM”s built from 1978 to 2003 are still going strong as a monument; but somehow everything this Skerrit tries to build goes down within months later. Can we not see blind Dominicans? In the Bible history of Israel, when good Godly Kings were in power, God usually gave them peace for 7, 10 years . At that time of Peace money that would normally spent on war was saved. When an evil King came in there was no peace and monies couldn’t be saved.. That’s exactly what the wicked, evil, deceptive reign of Skerrit reminds me of. We have no peace, villages are being swept in rubble, people perishing , bridges are being swept away as though we are in a war zone to the point that we are now scared of a passing cloud. Can we not see and understand?
Psalms 1:3 describes the man who walks in the way of the Lord as blessed, and verse 3 tells us whatsoever that man does shall prosper. In contrast it says the WICKED or ungodly is not so but is like a chaff driven by wind and his way shall perish. As I look at the works of Skerrit and the manner they are destroyed, it is clear to me that they are NOT prospering. The airport he spent millions on, and even a light drizzle these days destroying it. He built Bells road, and anytime there is a little shower, that to falling. He built EO Leblanc highway and it has become a national disaster highway. He went to the Roseau Valley to build road and no sooner it is opened, it becomes a disaster and like others, has to be closed. Are we spiritually blind to not understand? Boy in my childhood days if a persons job or business was rumbling like Skerrit’s projects tumbling, people would say God punishing him for his evil. I wonder what’s happening?
thank you god for protecting dominicans and no one was passing at the time.
Good Evening, just a question: did we just read another article about Geothermal Power plant getting closer to completion? How our Gvt wants to build / run a power plant if they can’t even guarantee / provide 2 lane and safe road access to the power plant location and also major tourist sites? ;o) big Joke man! smh, do they really think we are that stupid? a blind man could see the fraud…just asking…..
good night DA
I would suggest mr Johnson review and survey all other high risk areas and be proactive rather than reactive. Whatever worked 5 years ago may not apply in this ever changing landscape. Most of Dominicas roads were expanded from the old donkey tracks. We have mainly weathered volcanic terrain. It’s a challenge but challenge but challenges open doors for innovative technologies. These old donkey tracks are not safest for heavy trucks and other vehicles. Risk factors increase when there is a river at base of cliffs or waves from ocean. What will hurt is if someone loses life. Can be government negligence. No one takes anything serious.
The Wotten Waven road needs repairs. First, with more drivers using this road, and the terrible condition it is in, there may be a significant increase in road accidents here. It has only been a day and a half and there have already been a couple, fortunately not big, but why wait. Secondly, during the tourist season, this is not what we need to ‘sell’ the island. We are putting our visitors at risk. Thirdly, we are putting our own people at risk because the amount of pot holes that are on that road, and no drainage, its best we call it mosquito road, because that’s just a breeding ground for vectors. And with the hospital under repairs, we can not afford to have more people being admitted for illness and accident.
Just saying…
Papa zohhhh…. but all you does never ask the questions people need answers to nuh… Jeezzz annn…. when all you doing an article, try to put yourself in the situation and ask the questions you would ask if it were you, like
– about when are you going to start this process?
– how long should the surveys and what not take?
– depending on the type of action you need to take about when may the road be safe to use again?
– what are the plans in the mean time for the Wotten Waven road? Are there plans for conducting the surface repairs needed for safe driving? Would there be compensation for drivers for having to use this deplorable roads?
– what about the Trafalgar tourist vendors who will no longer have access to the cruise ship tourists? Any sort of compensation or plans for them?
A statement was sent to media houses, so where can they ask all these questions?
Them fellahs don’t hold press conferences like other countries, they only send what they want to send and that’s it.
You probably don’t know how the situation with media in Dominica is, so stop playing like a smart A.
Dear Mr Parl Rep and other decision makers,
We understand that we need to take the Wotten Waven road now. Please make it motorable and safe for commuters. Now, all members of your constituency will need to take this road, and we honestly feel that this road could and should be made safer for us and our children. I saw young men trying to feverishly fill pot holes and gaps in the road yesterday, under the pouring rain. If a group of young men can see the need for this quick action…..i mean
We are always willing and ready to help. But we need at least a similar level of the support we gave, to be reciprocated. Help us to be safe. Help us keep our tourism livelihood. Help us decrease our vulnerability. Help us feel empowered enough to be self-sufficient as a constituency.
Check us irie nuh boss oh gosh man!