Major infrastructural works on the Bois Diable to White River road will commence this month, Public Works and Ports Minister Ian Pinard has revealed.
The project, which costs $21.2-million, is being financed under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).
Pinard also said other road works in the east of Dominica, among other areas, will be improved as part of the project.
“This project will see the construction of the White River Bridge and several other bridges along the Bois Diable to White River main road,” Pinard said at a town hall meeting last week.
According to Pinard work will also be done on culverts, drains along the main road and cliff stabilization.
“The project is expected to be completed within 16 months,” he revealed. “We expect major work to commence in August 2015.”
He noted that while the government is grateful for the assistance from the European Union for the project, “we are also aware that the scope of the required works comes nowhere close to addressing the short comings of the east and south-east roads.”
Pinard revealed that currently the government is exploring initiatives for the comprehensive rehabilitation of roads in the east and south-eastern part of the island, identified as follows: Pont Casse to Bois Diable, Bois Diable to White River, Bois Diable to Castle Bruce, Castle Bruce to Petite Soufriere and Castle Bruce to Hatton Garden.
He noted that approximately 75 Kilometres or 47 miles have been targeted for necessary upgrade.
“In addition, 11 bridges and 440 culverts will be replaced,” he stated.
Meantime Pinard remarked that rehabilitation of drainage infrastructure in Fortune and Green Valley in Point Michel will also continue in the new financial year to the tune of $2.3-million.
“Since the December 2013 trough we have seen failure of drains and culverts and the undermining of the ravine in both Point Michel and New Town,” Pinard explained. “This financial year more systems will go towards completing those projects which already started from the previous financial year.”
He also pointed to a project on the sea wall near the Douglas Charles Airport.
He pointed out that over the years large waves have been breaching the sea walls on the eastern part at the Douglas Charles Airport, causing serious problems for motorists.
“But this project will do additional wave breakers to help break down the waves before it hits unto the sea wall,” he indicated. “This is expected to greatly reduce the amount of sea water coming on the main road. We will also do some drainage work on the main road to ensure that excess water do not remain on the main road.”
People just talk and comment , what is the solution to our problems. After slavery we do not want to work to build any nation. We will stay at the bottom indifinetly when are we going to create something like all other races, we are to busy hating , fighting, talking and doing nothing. All they teach us to do is pray to a white jesus to save us.
All these areas voted Labour in the last election. What about the roads in Marigot, Wesley and Salisbury. You are spending all this money what will the country as a whole gain from this. I am not saying that this not needed but I believe we as a country would get a bigger bang for our buck by fixing all the feeder roads so agriculture could take off once again. This would result in jobs and export revenue being created. The thing with infrastructure projects is that whilst they may be worthy you simply cannot eat concrete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zabocca your comment makes absolutely NO SENSE!!!!
1. The roads mentioned are the main roads, if you look at Salisbury, Marigot and Wesley main roads they are in good condition unless you have no idea what is a MAIN ROAD!!!!!
2. Boss you suggest fix feeder roads instead of the main road and by so doing we would get a big bang from our bucks as more people would go into agriculture…… are you for real??? have you done any research that suggests the reason persons are not into agriculture is because of the feeder roads?? Do you know that Government is not responsible for FEEDER ROADS contrary to what you are being told?? Now lets for argument say government follows your theory, now we have tonnes of private roads leading to personal lands (AKA Feeder roads) and main roads are in a deplorable position, you will be the first to criticize the gov’t and will side with the farmers that the bad main roads are damaging their produce…..SMDFH!!!!! Even visitors would laugh at us!!
Drigo could not even comment on his ministry’s accomplishments for the year, you expect him to talk about road completion?Square pegs in round holes.All the roads in Roseau South need attention.Are we going to be treated like Salisbury?
In response to Tampa’
One could not help but notice that the roads mentoined by Pinnard are in the areas where they won the last election .I do hope the people of dominica are taking notes as fixing roads in one area does not improve the decaying conditions in the island this is narrow minded
That is something, which really perplexes me. As a regular visitor I note that the main road between Roseau and Melville Hall has not been upgraded from Hatton Garden to the airport, particularly the section through Marigot needs urgent attention. Maybe the govt. wants to show its displeasure with the people of Marigot for not voting for their candidate in the last election. If so, I would say that is short-sighted because the neglect is visible to locals and visitors alike. It are the last in particular you want to impress and present a positive picture to, especially if you want to entice them to invest in the country. Don’t burden them with local politics but be pragmatic and welcome them with a decent road at least.
They have to take care of the areas where the supporters are first. We put them there, not you in which made quite clear. Represent your people and others come after so go ahead criticize.
Ian my former schoolmate….
I have been hearing of such a project since mid 2013 by de way!!!
I know a few of de spanish guys working for Gardahkan….de project has been on for a while now……actually since de beginning of de year.
what you really should be saying is dat de government is NOW putting money on de project.
In the meantime de workers were cutlassing and minor shoulder blading.
STICK TO DE FACTS IAN!!!
I remember Gardahkan breached de contract for de pond case marigot road.
blackmoore was minister for public works and he threatened gardahkan with penalties of tens of thousands of dollars per day…..dat scare tactic blew in de wind!!!
caribbean construction and Dipcon ended up with a slice of de cake!!
OH……WHERE IS DE NEW MANGO HOLE BRIDGE?
WHY WAS DE PORTION OF ROAD FROM PAGUA BAY TO DE SEA WALL TO AFTER MANGO HOLE IGNORED?
I HEARD ALLEGATIONS THAT DE GOVERNMENT STILL OWING JACQUES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!!
Tell us about the Abbatoire Sir. Its time that it is complete and people are employed as promised. Every month a new date is set for the commissioning of this abbatoire.
Correction. The road is six years in the making.
To present this as news is a bit lame. The same project was announced by Dr. Darroux at the beginning of this year (DNO 13 January), with a detailed breakdown of the cost, The project was already approved by the Govt. in 2012 and supposed to have started in May of 2014. I suspect it took that long to secure the funding. Still, better late than never but given the major delays and cost overruns by the same contractor, Gaddarkhan on the road refurbishment from Pont Casse to Hatton Garden I must confess that I am not altogether convinced that we will not run into similar problems again. A dog does not change its spots and I will keep my fingers crossed.
It has been over ten years that the Skerrit Administration started to build a road from Rosalie to Petite Soufriere. And here we are in 2015 and up to now it cannot complete this project. So Mr. Pinnard why don’t you focus on completing our Rosalie to Petite Soufriere road before hopping, skipping and jumping all over the island doing pieces tou-pa-tou. Aren’t you guys embarrassed that it is taking so long to complete this project? Or was it an election gimmick that has worked for two successive elections? And Mr. Drigo you sit there and say nothing. What kind of representation is this?