News

The construction of the Edward Oliver Highway or the West Coast road extending from Roseau to Portsmouth has been described as a major achievement for the Ministry of Public Works in 2012.

Public Works Minister Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore in an exclusive interview with the Government Information Service (GIS) recently said that this was one of the major achievements by way of infrastructural development over the last twelve months.

“The West Coast Road is symbolic of a tremendous relationship that has been entered between the Government of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China. We all can appreciate that what we are seeing on the ground now is the final product,” Hon. Blackmoore stated.

The Minister said finishing touches are continuing on the West Coast Road.

“We are still seeing the continuation of works in terms of putting safety measures in place including reflectors in the centre of the road. We are also ensuring that the integrity of the surface area of the road is maintained for a long period of time by applying concrete to the road edges.”

The Minister continued that Phase Two of the Melville Hall airport Road is also worthy of mention.

“Phase One of the Melville Hall Airport Road Improvement Project extending from Canefield to Pond Case continued in earnest in 2012.and we are now seeing work ongoing on Phase Two from Pond Case to Marigot manifesting itself.”

The Pointe Michel Sea Defence Wall Project has been described by the Public Works Minister as another major accomplishment of his Ministry.

“Try to imagine were it not for the intervention of this administration what you would have been driving on. People’s lives would have been in continued jeopardy and at the mercy of the sea. That is no more and what is left to be done is to build vending booths in the area of Hollywood. We have finalised the design and we are now having discussions with the persons who will be using those booths,” he stated.

The Public Works Minister also revealed that the Grand Fond road also received attention in 2012 with the second phase of that project currently ongoing.

“We have started the second phase of that project. We are spending in totality $1.2 million dollars on this project. That is something that the Government is very excited about because the people of Grand Fond for a long period of time have exercised patience and tolerance.”

Also making the list of major achievement of the Public Works Ministry in 2012 is the rehabilitation of the Delices, Eggleston and Petite Savanne roads at an accumulated cost of 3.2 million dollars.

Notwithstanding the major projects undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works in 2012, the Minister believes that road maintenance will remain a priority.

“We are of the view that we still have to continue maintaining our roads in the rural areas and other parts of the country,” he said.

Hon Blackmoore said one of the areas that has been challenging for his Ministry has been the Lalay Coco area which is considered to be a highly traversed area. This section of road extends from the intersection of the McMillan Gas Station to the entrance of the Pointe Michel Sea Defence Wall. Government is spending $1.7million dollars on that project.”

“The surfacing has been completed. What is left to be done is in the intersection of Grandbay going back into the first speed bump before one approaches the sea defence wall in Pointe Michel.  We are also going to ensure that the entrance leading into Wall House is properly paved. Another very interesting component of that project is the installation of concrete drainage and curbs. It is important for us to put mitigating measures in place to safeguard against the eroding of the surface of the road,” Hon. Blackmoore explained.

The Minister confirmed that these projects along with surfacing and maintenance of a number of village and feeder roads is in keeping with Government’s greater plan  to bring about an effective road network across the country.

“We have said that we are going to proceed with the effort of improving our road network by 2020. So far we are doing well.”