Urgent assistance required at Guaracara Tabaquite Road
The Member of Parliament for Tabaquite, Ms. Anita Haynes, is again calling on government agencies to expedite the process of addressing recurrent land movement at the 17km mark, Guaracara Tabaquite Road.
The roadway, which was last cleared in mid-September by the Ministry of Works and Transport, is again blocked by landslip debris. Haynes said, “This is a matter of urgent public safety. The land is still moving and, with more instances of inclement weather, the road is becoming increasingly compromised. Vehicle passage has been reduced to a single lane and even that is becoming narrower day by day, with vehicles being forced to drive along the edge of the retaining wall.”
MP Haynes confirmed that the cause of recurrent landslips at this site is under police investigation. Last month, Haynes wrote to the Ministry of Planning and Development for its support in these investigations as well as in obtaining legal access to the land, which is privately owned, in order to implement lasting solutions. The ministry has since referred the matter to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).
Haynes acknowledged, “It is critical that the State obtains legal permission in order to carry out these works. Ultimately, as the investigations continue, the responsibility of the land owner will be determined. Until such time, I am calling on the Ministry of Works and Transport to continue to assist us with clearing the roadway so that members of the public can traverse safely.”
The Member of Parliament shared insight into the challenges faced by commuters, “The attached images and videos clearly show the dangerous conditions motorists must manoeuvre. In addition to issuing formal requests for assistance from my office, I intend to raise this matter in Parliament at the earliest opportunity in order to expedite the process. Once again, I urge everyone to exercise extreme caution as we seek to resolve this matter in the near future.”
MP Anita Haynes