– as Public Works Ministry completes temporary repairs
IN an effort to provide relief to the public, especially the residents of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, and clear the road for easy access, the Ministry of Public Works has completed the temporary repairs to the breached main road which leads into the community from the Soesdyke Linden Highway.

To prevent the community from being entirely cut off from Regions Four and 10 linkages, and reduce inconvenience to commuters, workers repaired three damaged parts of the road, according to a press release on Tuesday.
Additionally, the Ministry is working diligently towards a more permanent solution to this issue.
“The Ministry is thankful that no one was injured or lives lost during this ordeal, and urges persons traversing the area to do so with much care and caution,” the release read.

It then went on to state: “In the meantime, the Ministry is pleased to report that work is progressing well in the design for the rehabilitation of those critical sections of the main road. Simultaneously, the cost, or engineer’s estimate, is also being prepared for this upcoming project.”

Only recently, 18 community participation contracts were signed for the commencement of infrastructural works in the community.
The contracts, totalling nearly $90M were signed between the residents of St. Cuthbert’s Mission and the Ministry of Public Works.
The works involve the construction of approximately 900 metres of reinforced concrete internal community roads.
This is a follow-up to a commitment made by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali during a visit to the community in March.
The Head of State announced during his visit that the government will collaborate with the community and its residents to provide training, and utilise their skills and labour to build concrete roads in the area.

Consistent with the two-month deadline attached to this commitment, residents will soon benefit from enhancement works on a number of the roads.

President Ali had said: “Whether you’re on the highway, whether you’re in the hinterland, the riverine community, you’re in an urban centre, we are going to go there, we are going to meet you. Every single community we are trying to visit, every single community we’re trying to get into, because we want to hear from the people themselves.”
This also forms part of the government’s drive to involve communities in the larger development agenda, while supporting local economies.