Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says he is conscious of the deterioration of some of the nations roads and that his government is trying to fix them.
He said preparatory works are on-going in relation to the $40 million dollars project to repair the road from Hospital Corner in Kingstown to Layou in Central Leeward.
“But you know all the engineering work has to be done, all the design work has to be done. These things are taking longer and I get frustrated,” he told Parliament last week.
“As the Minister of Works [Sen. Julian Francis] outlined, he has to keep patching them. In fact, I was talking just this week for us to get some engineering assistance and top class engineers are very expensive to get.
“And the Chief Engineer is doing his best with his team but the amount of work is overwhelming. And sometimes I get sorry for them. And I have to thank them for the splendid work they are doing,” Gonsalves said.
He said his government was negotiating $40 million from the European Union for a secondary road.
“And to make it even [more] attractive to them, I said we will change, along the secondary roads, the nature of the streetlights to LED lights for energy saving…”
He added that VINLEC, the state-owned electricity company, has already installed 100 LED streetlights on Back Street, Kingstown.
Further, Gonsalves said his government has held discussions with the Bolivarian Alternative for Our Americas (ALBA) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Venezuela on a special programme in relation to roads.
“Because I am conscious about the deterioration of the roads. And it is very expensive. And you have so many cars now that you didn’t have before. And I know it is frustrating and I want people to knew that I am actively looking for solutions,” he said.
Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Finance, urged persons to pay up their drivers and motor vehicle licenses.
“Please pay them up. Because, it is not a lot of money compared to what is required for the roads but every little bit helps.
“And in any case, if you don’t licence yourself or also the vehicle, your insurance will lapse and if you knock down anybody, everything is on you. And you could lose your licence,” the Prime Minister said.
You want the holes patching Comrade? Then do like what you did to get the Vigie road fixed. Chase Julian.
Remember how he said he was going to fix the Vigie road (forgive me for not calling it a “highway”); how he knew what the problem was and how he had the money. But it get fix only after you chase him.
Now this rounds he said how he was going to fix pot hole. Actually he said he going to “keep ahead.” Yea. Right.
You know what to do Comrade, but man ain’t holding he breath.
He is very aware that its his policies that have allowed the roads to be in the state they are in, he is directly responsible for the condition of them. Now he is trying to infer someone else is responsible.
Patrick Ferrari, I think that you are too kind to the fat man, we all know that he and Julian are joined at the hip, but ultimately Gonsalves must be to blame, he travels the roads, he controls the money, he put it all in the airport.
Peter, la Comrade is my buddy, but I leave him work out what you said and what I said. BUT WE MUST KEEP IT THERE FOR HIM TO WORK OUT. We must make sure he does become numb and immune to the consequences of his actions and decisions. Left to the likes of Hans King and Elson Crick (and much less Burns Bonadie), though, that is exactly what would happen – numb and immune to the consequences of his actions with thir platitudes and adulations.
Julian’s record and performance in the public sector is public knowledge. Julian cannot get it done. Plain and simple … and in full sight.
He, julian, has complained, right in Parliament, that he does not get the money enough. Why? Why doesn’t he get the moolah? You think is ariport alone? What about Julian’s scorn for the Tenders Board. AND HIS PROMISE TO KEEP BYPASSING THE INSTITUTION THAT IS THERE TO KEEP THE GAME HONEST AND EFFICIENG? “Efficient” is not in Julian’s vocabulary, and the other is not my call.
When Julian said that, people were looking at him. They went WOW! what a powerful man. Not me. Besides feeling frightened for us and our treasury, I was looking, not at Julian, not at Comrade, but at Comrade’s shoes and fists. His fists clenched and his shoes, the part by his toes were bent out of shape. And if i was looking I might have seen his face go red. Red here, it not meant to be taken as a compliment as in “red with pride.” It’s the other – the antonym.
Julian is hopelessly inefficient – I accept that … IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHERE WATER FINDS ITS OWN LEVEL. And he found his, or it found him. I do not accept it when the Tenders Board is not allowed to protect my dollar and my interest. AND VINCENTIANS SHOULD NOT HAVE EITHER. AND NEITHER SHOULD HAVE RALPH – cousin notwithstanding.
I will keep reminding Ralph of things like that (consequences of his decisions) – not that he needs reminding. And if for that reminding, people – especially Ralph – thinks I am not Ralph’s buddy, then so be it.
At any rate it is better to be than not to be buddies with a man who can drive down one way streets on a whim (according to Lisa in the letter section Searchlight 14 June) and can spend $335Gs on one man but not $1.1Gs on a chair for the people’s representative.
Who believes that Ralph knows what Julian is about?