A taxi driver used a press conference hosted by Minister of Tourism Carlos James on Wednesday to point out to him the poor conditions of the roads to some tourism sites.
Alden Bess, a member of the Professional Taxi Association asked the minister about the road to Fort Charlotte.
“It’s been some years now that road have been doing,” Bess told the minister as he fielded questions at the press conference.
The taxi driver said he goes to Edinboro every Sunday.
“And some Sunday ago, I feel so good when I see all those tractors and everything, and then when I look back, everything stopped,” Bess said.
He said that it should take about 10 minutes to get to Fort Charlotte via taxi but sometimes it takes twice as long, or even 25 minutes “because the road is so bad.
“So, I want to know when this road is going to finish,” Bess said and asked about the road to Montreal Gardens, in Marriaqua, adding that taxi drivers visit that site a lot.
“I would like to get answers,” he said.
James told Bess that he did not have an answer as to when the road repair would be completed “as it’s not within the Ministry of Tourism.
“But I, too, I’m hoping that we can get some significant work done in time for the season,” James said, referring to the cruise tourism season, which begins in October.
“And I know that the Ministry of Transport and Works, they have been working closely with the contractors to push on them to have the roads completed.”
James said he knows that Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has “very often would have stepped in in relation to that road to Edinboro, as well, as made several representations.
“And I also will be doing that today at Cabinet just to confirm that we are scheduled to have these roads completed and within the time frame stipulated on the contract.
“But I do note the concern, and I too am expressing those concerns as well; roads to all sites, as a matter of fact,” James said.
.”.. just to confirm that we are scheduled to have these roads completed and within the time frame stipulated on the contract.” This has to be a joke. What’s the time frame again Carlos?
The problem with financing in SVG is that it’s not done from the ministries, but from the PM’s office.
If each ministry is issued money to run it, then it will be the minister who comes up with a plan for his ministry. That’s how it can and should be implemented to work. Each budget should show much money each ministry is allocated.
Camillo spent lots of money in his constituency while other constituencies are ignored completely. An example is the mountain road in Layou that is damaged by the traffic to the stone quarries in the area.
Even the tourist attraction on the same road is in a terrible state.
Carlos’s excuse is not acceptable. He should show paper work he sent to Camillo or Ralph for funds to take care of issues in his ministry.