Tancoo – Remove the collapsed bridge before south floods again

The collapsed bridge at St John’s Branch Trace in Fyzabad. Image courtesy Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe.

MP for Oropouche West, Dave Tancoo says that it has now been one month since the bridge in St Johns Trace, Avocat has collapsed into the river effectively cutting off multiple residents including the sick, the elderly and children.

According to Tancoo, “While Ministers Sinanan and Al Rawi fight between themselves to avoid responsibility, the structure remains lodged in the middle of this major water course; one that drains a large part of the water catchment area in Penal. Consider this alongside the fact that we are currently in the Hurricane season with projections for heavier rainfall and resultant flooding, and you have another disaster waiting to happen in South Trinidad.”

Citing the magnitude of the threat, MP Tancoo stated, “Obviously, having one of the major water outlets being comprehensively constrained by the presence of a massive solid concrete and steel structure in the river creates a flooding risk for the immediate environs, but will viciously impact on entire communities in Penal that are already under flood-watch because of incomplete and inadequate infrastructural works, which Minister Sinanan has overall responsibility for.”

The Oropouche West MP said that there is a further risk of the entire structure sliding into the river, resulting in an even greater crisis. Describing the Government’s treatment of the matter, Tancoo said, “In this scenario, the dismissive response by both responsible Ministers is callous and uncaring to say the least. Regardless of whose land the bridge was on, it is currently wedged inside a major river and it is a shameless and heartless act that these Ministers can only provide anxious abdication of their sworn duty of care to the tens of thousands of taxpaying citizens of St Johns Trace, Penal and environs who will suffer significant losses should the floods come.”

The Opposition Member is calling on Minister Sinanan and Minister Al Rawi to take immediate steps to remove the collapsed bridge from the river and to take urgent steps to have an alternative bridge provided to these citizens forthwith.