The government has no immediate plans to repair a road in Rillan Hill and connect it to Clare Valley, nor the main road to Dubois, Minister of Transport and Works Montgomery Daniel has told Parliament.
“There are no immediate plans established within the Ministry to repair the section of concrete roads,” Daniel said in response to a question from South Leeward MP, Nigel Stephenson.
Stephenson has asked the minister when the Bush Road in Rillan Hill would be repaired and whether the government would ensure that the road is extended into the low-income housing area in Clare Valley, and if so, when.
The MP had also noted that the road leading to the Buccament Government School in Dubois is steep and narrow and is paralleled by a deep embankment.
He said pedestrians and motorists encounter challenges traversing that dangerous piece of road.
Stephenson asked Daniel when the road would be widened to ease traffic.
Daniel said that in addition to possible poor construction initially, poor drainage was one of the main factors contributing to the deterioration of the roadway in Big Bush.
“There are no drains constructed along the dilapidated road. The issue of drainage is clear along the worst section of the road, as a valley exists along the roadway with no receiving drains,” the works minister told Parliament.
He said an approximately 450-foot section of road needs to be reconstructed with proper drainage.
“I am advised that a previous request was made by one Mr. Grenville Williams to explore the possibility of linking the two communities, both Bush and Claire Valley,” Daniel said.
Williams is the attorney general and has been identified as the ruling Unity Labour Party’s candidate for South Leeward in the next general elections, expected to be held by November, ahead of the February 2026 constitutional deadline.
“This request is being assessed by the Project Management Implementation Unit, with the view of having this link road done,” Daniel said.
However, Stephenson said Daniel’s answer “has to be real hilarious.
“You’re considering linking the road but there’s no immediate plan to fix the existing road. I hope the people of Big Bush are listening to you,” Stephenson said, as Daniel said that there could only be plans after an assessment.
Overgrown vegetation making narrow Dubois road worse
Meanwhile, regarding Dubois, Daniel said the narrow roadway is made worse by overgrown vegetation, which he said was due for clearing.
He said the road averages approximately 12 feet wide, and widening is possible in some areas.
“But these will include construction of retaining walls varying between the upper and lower embankment. And in some areas, land acquisition may be required,” Daniel said.
“Simply covering the drains is not an immediate solution to the issue, as the existing box drains are very shallow, ranging in depth of 6 to 8 inches in the narrow areas.
“However, cutting the grass verges will vastly improve the road user comfort in the short term. This will be pursued.”
Daniel said the roads were built many years ago, adding that the Project Management Implementation Unit tries to ensure that all new roads are an average of 15 feet or 5 metres wide.
“It is a difficulty on these roads … which, on average, is about 12 feet in width. Therefore, there will be continued problems on these roads that never, ever had the required drainage to take off the water from these roads.
“Whoever built these roads, they were built without drains. There are no means for the runoff, and there will be problems.”
But Stephenson noted that the Unity Labour Party government has been in office for 24 years.
“How much your government been there?” Daniel said, referring to the New Democratic Party, which was in office from 1984 to 2001.
“I cannot imagine the idiocy,” Stephenson said. “I am just sorry for the people who continue to vote [these people].”
Stephenson said that while Daniel spoke of acquisition, he (Stephenson) has told the Parliament before that the owners of the land that parallel the road have consented to give some of it towards the widening of the road.