Port-of-Spain flooding to end by 2015 – Minister

(Trinidad Guardian) By the end of 2015, widespread flooding in Port-of-Spain will be a thing of the past. This was the date given by Minister of the Environment and Water Resources Ganga Singh during a tour of the drainage network system in the capital city, which frequently floods following heavy downpours.

Noting that after every deluge the Government has had to desilt channels in Port-of-Spain and environs, Singh said the bill for this exercise was a heavy price for taxpayers to pay. “When they do the desilting I saw a figure of $10 million last year. That is only during a six months duration. If you are going to have $10 million for desilting that is money down the drain, so to speak.”

Addressing the media yesterday in company of drainage engineer Ramdath Baboolal, Singh first viewed a detention pond in Sea Lots which traps water from the hills and takes it downstream. The pond is the first phase of a Port-of-Spain flood alleviation programme, with the second phase being focused West of the East Dry River.

“Design for East Dry River is advanced now and construction will start shortly,” Baboolal said. He said it would cost taxpayers $69 million to alleviate flooding in Port-of-Spain South alone, which constitutes nine developmental packages that are being designed by Genivar which will be rolled out in the coming months.

Singh said he has given an undertaking that by the end of 2015, flooding will be eliminated. “There is no overnight solution. You are talking about cumulative problems over four and five decades. It can be done with major investments and technical expertise.”

However, in the interim, contractors have been mobilised to clear all channels blocked with silt and garbage. Singh said channels leading to the sea are clogged, while building have been built over them. On Tuesday, the Beverage Container Bill, Singh said, will be laid in the Senate, which would assist in flood mitigation.

“The malady is deep,” said Singh, stating that drainage infrastructure “had not kept apace with developmental work in the city. There is need for significant investment in putting down new and to expand existing infrastructure to deal with the drainage problem.”

Singh said his ministry along with the Ministry of Planning are working with the IDB to source funding to undertake this task.