WHILE the country is still not fully settled since the June 6 general elections, we have to be focussed on how we move the economy forward. In this new global environment, there is no waiting game as opportunities missed are opportunities lost. For the last 20 years, we have been plagued with the constant shutting down of projects when one party assumes power. In 2011, we saw a new Labour Government shutting down several projects that have left us as a country of derelict structures. In the Babonneau constituency, we saw an unwise move of shutting of booths that were built for vendors to ply their trade at a critical location within the constituency.
At Union, there was a Human Resource Centre being constructed for the residents; this was shut down and left in ruins for five years. There is another Human Resource Centre which was under construction in Bisee, which was also left in ruins for five years. There is a Multi-Purpose Court in Sarrot that was abandoned also. There was a project in Soufriere near the start of the West Coast Road that was abandoned. There is a park on the Morne that was left unfinished. The new cultural centre in Gros Islet was abandoned and in the most ridiculous manner, an attempt was made to restart it a few weeks before the elections.
Most of these projects were funded by the Taiwanese Government, and were deliberately not considered for completion under the Constituency Development Programme. It would appear that our democracy has become our most significant drawback. While people praise the progress in Singapore, it is evident that part of the success was due to long periods of continued governance, and that country was spared the amazing vagaries of Caribbean politics. One would hope that our new government does not pursue that line of thinking and would move to also complete some of the above-mentioned projects.
I am fully in support of tweaking, modifying, amending, whatever is your choice of words, I am never in favour of total abandonment, as there are no winners. I also believe that if a budget is passed and there was no vociferous objection to a component by the opposition, that it is immoral and unethical to then abandon the project when in office, and therefore there may have to be some legislative response to avoid this wastage of resources.
The new government, however, has some big decisions on how to move forward on several projects that were started by the last administration. I have itemized them as follows:
GROS ISLET HIGHWAY – EXPANSION TO FOUR LANES
One is not convinced that there is the transportation engineering support for this project. I will strongly urge the government to relook at the cost benefit analysis done, and to review what the transportation study generated as the travel time savings if there is an expansion to four lanes from Choc to Rodney Bay. I will continue to contend that there will be no time savings as the critical component on the link is Vigie to Castries. I remain of the view that the recommendations of the Grand Castries Transportation Study should be implemented and expansion to four lanes in that study was not considered to be feasible. We have been advised that a component of the funding for the project has been approved by the Kuwait Fund and OPEC. The cost of land acquisition must also be considered as many houses and business will be affected, running into hundreds of millions of dollars. This project needs a major rethink. I do support the upgrading of the secondary roads component, but cannot agree on the expansion to four lanes.
NORTH – SOUTH COAST ROAD
This road is proposed to be the link from Fond d’Or to Desbarras. I believe this road can be a catalyst for future expansion of lands for development. However, we need to look at how development has expanded along roads that were upgraded over the last 40 years. In the 1970’s the East Coast was developed, some 40 years later there is no major grocery from Cul de Sac to Vieux Fort, there are no major shopping centres, there is no hotel development, there is no bank. Nothing of significance has happened along this corridor in 40 years.
The West Coast was developed in the early 1990’s. Twenty years later, we have one grocery, no banks, no shopping centres, two new hotels ( Capella/ Ti Kaye). Both roads have huge potential for development, yet the progress has been slow. The previous government was looking at the UK Infrastructure Fund and the CIP to fund the project. I will support this project if these grant funds can be applied to it. I would not take a loan for this project as the return on investment is long term. The new government must move quickly on this as there is a time limit to draw down on the UK Infrastructure Grant Fund, from which Saint Lucia is entitled approximately US$ 40.0 million.
OTHER PROJECTS
I would also hope that all of these abandoned projects within the constituencies will receive immediate attention and thus remove this unsightly and disgraceful wastage of public funds.
Big decisions indeed for this new government.
Eng. Peters, these stated intentions were not slated projects. That was political gimmicks coming from KA. On a serious note: What did the vision commission got accomplished with its annual 300K budget headed by KA ex-wife? Does the commission still have its mandate? And will the new administration furnish the commission with that 300k budget?
Projects , Projects, we need them most of the time. I am not being critical of any but as an observer, stakeholder and actor in some cases I should let my voice be heard. There are several projects or would-be projects which bug me.:
1. The Gros-Islet-Choc 4-lane highway: I am surprised to hear of a study which declares that this highway can be dispensed with. Due respects to the conductor of this study, I am certainly interested in alternatives to make the present highway efficient. Are some of the view that this highway is efficient? I see a bottleneck near the hotel at Marisule, drivers racing to overtake at a limited 2-lane northbound. Can this short 2-lane be redesigned or removed to avoid the accidents and bottleneck there? Sometimes it takes me a whole hour to drive from Castries to Gros Islet and vice versa due to frequent accidents which hold up traffic. I can get to Vieux Fort in this time. I understand the money is there for this 4-lane highway. A friend of mine was so prophetic a couple years ago . He said this is all political when I told him the highway should come soon. I am still politically naive.
2. Beausejour Sewer Treatment Plant: It was understood that this plant would be environmentally-friendly, there would be no foul ordours. Not lately. I passed there recently and could not bear the stench. How is this problem going to be resolved? I hardly hear any resident of the area talking about this.
3. Entrepot-East Castries Sewer Treatment Plant: Have not heard anything about this project lately. Sewage is still being dumped into the outer Castries Harbour. Can one bathe at Tapion Beach?
4. National Cultural centre: What’s the latest on this?
5. Post 1948 Fire CDC Buildings : At least one of these buildings along Jeremie Street opposite the Market was supposed to be structurally unsound a few years ago and others to the south were to be demolished for a more modern commercial sector?
6. West Coast Road: This was certainly a great effort to provide this improved highway. However , many loose-looking boulders hang precariously above the road in some parts.
7. SALCC: Happy an effort is being made there but we must realize some of the Morne buildings are older than my great-grandfathers . I know DCA-approved plans for the Hospitality Studies building expansion and renovation were there since 2003. The issue of mould in buildings will prevail even in new buildings if operable windows are not opened frequently.