The Mahaut/Massacre segment of the West Coast Road Project has been a source of much talk and speculation since the project started and the option of relocating the families and houses on the western side of the road in both communities was part of the discussion.
Project Manager for China Railway 17 Bureau Group, the company in charge of the project, Jing Hao took time to respond to questions of the state of plans for that section of the project that is part of the scope of the company’s agreement with Dominica.
Hao said, “We will have to have further discussions with the Ministry of Public Works. The original design suggests getting rid of all the houses that were on the western side of the road but we await Public Works final decision on that.”
Minister of Public Works Rayburn Blackmoore revealed that Cabinet has made the decision to build a bypass around Mahaut/Massacre, against acquiring lands and widening the present roadway in the village.
The Minister addressed the issue as part of a site tour, with various officials form the Ministry of Work, of the Tarreau section of the project in an attempt to set the record straight about Government’s plans for area.
“The preferred option that we looked at was acquisition, the numbers have been looked upon, properties and owners identified and the cost have been looked at but we have taken a Cabinet decision that the preferred choice would be to do a bypass. We have to go back and ensure that that is done in due course. What has been done now is that we’ve invited persons, giving them the parameters to begin the design concept for that bypass in Mahaut. We believe that going forward with the bypass is the preferred option but we will ensure that we come up with the best design and try to mobilize the necessary funds for that,” Blackmoore affirmed.
The entire $100-million project is set to be complete in 2012.
If they want to sort out the roads – which they should- they need to serve compulsory purchase orders for the dwellings and land concerned. Obviously they need to give people sufficient notice and help and either pay a fair amount of compensation and/or relocate. This should be negotiated with land and property valuers and it should not be an opportunity to rip people off or make their friends rich. It would be nice to see the shacks replaced by decent modest dwellings elsewhere. It should pain the govt to see people living in such squalor and making better roads for visitors should not be the main incentive.
Whatever option they choose will be very expensive.
The option I am more suspicious of is purchasing land on the seaward side of the road. Suddenly all those shacks would be worth $1 million. Then Blackmore would be under pressure from his constituents/friends/family to maintain high values on the appropriated homes.
Those involved will just have to think this through carefully using their technical competence and do the option yielding the greatest benefit for the cost, keeping in mind what length of road (yards) this whole debate is over.
Just please put on the list of roads to check off, a Newtown bypass to ease the unproductive and unnecessary traffic congestion, particularly when school is in session and in the very likely event that a major evacuation of communities south of Roseau (city) becomes necessary.
How about a one in one out approach in Mahuat and Massacre. Build up a seawall and one way road with a bus stop or two, going north. It could be built behind the exisiting houses. Then use the exisitng road to head in one direction, south. Try improving the exisitng road in the village with available parking and sidewalks. Then merge the two before and after the village.
Just had to say..that was the BEST comment EVER!!!!!!!!!
Boy those fellas know how to lie we- way way ma ma. First of all some time late last year the contractor questioned the government’s commitment to provide the alignment for the Mahout/ Masscre tranche. According to the agreement the government would undertake the Mahuat / Massacre portion and would have an alignment solution ready. In response Blackmoore said that the government would have a solution at the end of the year 2010.
The problem is our are so gullible these politicians speak so much crap and get applauded for doing so. Blackmoore aught to know that there are people out there who pay attention to details; some of us actually have common sense Mr Blackmoore. I would actually hold you Mr blackmoore in higher esteem if you would just simply tell the people as it is. Dominicans here is the truth – there is no Mahaut Bypass.
The ministers explanation does not carry any reasoning- according to him the government is considering acquisitions. Note he did not indicate where. Is it inland or on the coastline. Now note that any acquisition would be expensive. If they choose the coastline we looking at a massive coastal land reclamation with an intricate sea defense system- very costly. If they acquire ROW inland then we are talking about a new roadway with a route that will ultimately tie into the north and south end of the problem area. That to is going to be costly. The simple explanation is that the government does not have the money and or solution.
That’s why I am asking DNO to provide further information with respect to those parameters. Anyone who is into this type of construction/design /engineering knows fully well that the minister is not telling the truth
I want to sound a warning, remember david and the massacre bypass,we are now in an era of climate change and global warming, larger and more powerful storms, psunamies, earthquake hope you guys know what what you all are undertaking.
A by-pass on the outskirts of Mahaut/Massacre is impractical and would cost much more than a mass relocation of the people. The residents of Mahaut occupying
the western side of the main road should be relocated to Warner. Thats where a genuine housing revolution (high -rise apartments) should be implemented.
you have land in Warner to relocate people? People tell you they want to go and live in Warner? and where you going with your ‘high-rise apartments’? who made you an urban planner all of a sudden?
Ass-backwards planning is the rule of the day in DA. There is only one option. Tear down the shacks on the Western side of the existing road and build a new road with a separated section for pedestrians. This will of course involve some inconveniences like moving the residents to Jimit or some nearby location.
When St. Lucia embarked on developing the road network to support tourism growth they bit the bullet and never looked back. Look at St. Lucia today. Nicely divided three and four lane roads that their citizens brag about. It’s about time DA politicians grow some balls and make hard decisions for the betterment of the island.
but everyday the Lucians dying on their roads.
WHY A BY PASS?
WHY NOT A BY THROUGH
BY THAT I MEAN YOU START “BY” THE DCP THEN BULLDOSE “THOUGH” ALL THOSE HOUSE
“Build a bypass around mahaut/massacre”
What are u talking about sir….
Around where? Thru where? Canefield? campbell? On the sea? WHERE?????????
It is quite clear to the entire public that this job was UNDERDESIGNED!!!!!! Hello…Roseau Valley road and Pond Casse Melville hall roads…..UNDERDESIGNED!!! WHAT DE HELL ALL U TAKING US FOR!!!!!! ALL OF A SUDDEN WORK UNDERSDESIGNED AND U NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY IN A HALF-ASS EFFORT TO BEGIN WITH!!! LOOK MONEY TO BURN!!!!!
The Chinese plan obviously did not include any of what u talking about…….u designing as u go ahead…I HAVE NO FAITH IN U!!!!!!!!!
Jimmit would be a much better location for them. It would have been nice if travelers were able to view the coast line while driving and some of the homes that were actually built on the road, were moved to a new location. For those who own businesses in the area, new location, more people equals business.
There’s nuff coastline for travellers to see. ’bout uproot people for travellers!
the minister of public works has thought hard and long about the implications for the people along the sea side. there are many businesses in that area if the had to be moved their entire way of life would change.how would they continue to make thier living, you just cannot put a cost to that there fore a by pass will be built once and for all and mahaut will remain the village that does not sleep.
The people of mahaut and massacre need to think of what kind of futures they want for their village. Mr. Blackmoore should leave the planning to the engineers and concentrate on negotiating with his constituents that’s why we need the caricom secretariat to give our ministers a retreat, so they know what is their jurisdiction.
The Prime Minister went to China in 2004 and ask or a road from Roseau to Possie Knowing that Mahuat and Massacre were the biggest area of concern 8(eight)years later i mean 8 years later they still cannot decide. The Chinese Come and the Chinese leaving and THE SO CALLED FORWARD THINKING BLACKMORE STILL SCRATCHING HIS HEAD about those 2 places. If that is an example of forward thinking i want to learn how to think back ward. 8 years man!!! COME ON
They need some professional consultants. Some proper qualified civil engineers who can work out some feasible options.
Someone is not doing their job and is costing the govt unbudgeted monies. The road from pond case to Marigot was over budget due to lack on planning and errors in the field land survey. No one is pointing this out. Secondly this project the government is talking about a bypass in massacre but the design that’s involved in developing something like this would be near the cost of constructing a new airport with capabilities of accommodating largest aircrafts.
They’re done in the US and it is very expensive to constuct these overpasses and by passes.It’s usually prefabricated steel and concrete, and that type of high-strength steel is very expensive. Add in labor and engineering coast and you’re looking at large sums of money that Dominnia does not have or can ill-afford to spend. If they’re prepared to do it correctly and spend that type of money, airport expansion will bring in more bang for the buck!
Blackmore must be honest with the citizens of this country.
The original design of the NEW PORTSMOUTH HIGHWAY included a Mahaut and Massacre Bypass, four lanes, fly overs and travelling time of 20 minutes from Roseau to Portsmouth until the Chinese came in and said, “The deal is REHABILITATION OF ROAD, NO NEW ROAD AND BUDGET 27 MILLION. If you want highwy in Massacre and Mahaut move people but China no pay for that, China will widen road if people move, but China no pay to move people. China will only go in sea at Tarreau because Cliff bad, no choice but to go in sea with wall.
Timothy, no fly-over.
All what Blackmore is saying is complete BULL, any literate person should understand that he has in fact said nothing.
He uses his mouth to hide his incompetence. All roads are overgrown with grass and drains are blocked, a major recipe for road collapse during a storm. Blackmore would do better cleaning the drains than running his mouth with such false information.
The government should purchase land on higther ground to nrelocate the village residence for the better good of the island, and it”s people, emminent domain it is called in the U.S.OF A so lets do it now instead of five years down the road again.
This does not sound good, before the project was started these matters should have been established and costed. This sound a bit backwards to me. Good planning is important for success, engineers should be making that decision not politicians who know nothing about planning and engineering but only thinking votes.
Wouldn’t it be nice if they could have a nice bridge over the ocean linking these cities… Man, if they are getting money from the chinese to build the bypass…they should design a nice brdige.
Just my thought of being in “foreign” too long…
There was already a by-pass in Massacre. This was destroyed by the sea due to bad weather [hurricanes]. I guess it would cost less to just do it over than to pay to relocate all of the people occupying the western side.
Yes there was a bypass in massacre but backward thinking freedom party didn’t repair it after hurricane David(August 29 1979)The same way they broke down the stadium in canefield.They only had to repair the roof and complete the job.It was built with money from the french government.OF course they did not want us to remember what the then Honourable Patric R.John and the labour party had built.
You mean the project is going to finish and Mahaut and Massacre will stay as is. Shame on you Blackmoore.
As a man born and raised in Mahaut i agree with you 100%.I voted labour in the last elections but i must admit that they never planned for mahaut and massacre. Shame on mr blackmoore.Thanks for leaving us out. We’ll remember to leave you out in 2015
did the cabinet not discuss acquisition of houses and land, and the cost factor befor the plans were drawn, and contract sign. how are working in da? back 2 front!how much is it really going 2 cost now
You would have thought that the most complicated and expensive part of the project would have been subject to detailed consultancy and solid PR like from two years ago. Politics (or more so, lack of political will) and poor planning rules the day, as usual.
I clearly recall a number of people calling on the Government to start the project by tackling the most critical areas first like Mahaut and Massacre and then to subsequently move on to the least critical sections. But as usual they only listen to themselves and then they and their cohorts turn around and say that people just oppose and make no suggestions. As always we end up looking like there is always a lack of planning.
blackmoore can never lose in mahaut ever! #halolabourites
but he not going back? wasnt he dat say, ” i would only be going for two terms”? well lets see if he will be true to his words, if the wanting for power will not make him swallow his words….
DNO, please provide us with more information with respect to those parameters.
That government need to go back to planning and management school.
Oh I see. They never went.
ive been saying that from day one.
My parl rep is going to be PM. Stay focused sir and humbled for Jah’s will will be done unto his people.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. What have we given up in exchange for this $100 million dollars?
I get nervous just thinking about it.
esp when you see the way the Chinese traet their own people. god help us!
Every time is a different story about Mahault road.. From what im getting Mahault road was never part of that west coast road project..
At least by now i thought the government would have come to a conclusion.
If they opt for buying the properties on western side of road, they should go all the way to fund the creation of beaches; For local consumption and tourism. A win-win for the project.
Amen!
they should invest in the local community. enough about the bloody tourists!
please relocate these people, i love the sea view when traveling..then again it will be an alternative route with less vehicles on the road….
on another note from what I’ve been reading less work(road) and better quality road should have been build…should have spent that 100 million to reconstruct the highway up too coulibistrie
I honestly I think it would have been much easier to get rid of all of the buildings and people who are currently living there. Yes I know it sounds harsh, but it’s the most effective route there, and the government could have simply bought out the people living there, and told them to go find homes elsewhere, or even better yet set aside from land for them.
bas nou terre mama pour yo reste.
Jimmy D
This s@it had me rotflmmfao. Dominicans rude ehh. Who tell you the person mother have land?
yeah, like a totalitarian state. After all that’s what the chinese would do.
diable!