The Government of Dominica continues to look after the needs of the country and this time is pumping 1.2 million EC dollars into the rehabilitation of main sections of the Delices Road.
The Public Works Corporation recently began work on the project which extends from the juncture of Boetica to La Roche. The project when complete is expected to significantly improve the road which has been in a less than favorable condition.
Parliamentary Representative for the La Plaine Constituency, Hon. Petter Saint Jean accompanied by a GIS news team paid an official visit to the project site on Thursday July 12, 2012.
Senior Project Supervisor attached to the Public Works Department, Clayton Jno -Baptiste spoke to GIS news about the scope of works.
He explained to GIS news that the job will include drainage and resurfacing work.
“We are looking at the rehabilitation of 1.2 kilometres of roadway with some 1270 square metres of 50 millimetre thick asphalt concrete surfacing, 2.3 kilometres of shoulder blading and 910 square metres of slipper drains.”
Jno-Baptiste confirmed that a significant amount of the work has already been done including excavation.
Parliamentary Representative for the La Plaine Constituency, Hon. Petter Saint Jean regards this project as one which has been outstanding for some time. Now that the financial resources have been identified by Government, Saint Jean is delighted that work has finally commenced.
“For a while now the road has been in a terrible condition. That was complicated last November during the heavy rains that actually cut through certain areas of that road. I have waited over a period of time. The people have been very patient and finally work has commenced. There is tremendous relief among the people and for me it is a big burden that is off my back.”
Hon. Saint Jean says already residents of the area have begun to feel a sense of relief.
“Bus drivers, the pedestrians and the general populace in the area have been experiencing tremendous difficulty to the extent that in some cases people have had to disembark the buses, the buses then traverse the bad sections and then the passengers get back onto the buses. It means therefore that now work has commenced the people are feeling a sense of relief.”
Hon. Saint Jean added that although the project has been given to the Public Works Corporation, residents have been subcontracted to undertake certain segments of the project.
“They are actually in the process of subcontracting certain phases and portions of that road to the residents. For example we have four subcontractors who will be responsible for doing the concrete works on the drains. Public Works [Corporation] will take care of the surface, the skin patching and the asphaltic layer.”
The Parliamentary Representative says the project is also poised to bringing some economic benefits to the community.
“For me it means that not only will the road problem be addressed, but we will also see some economic returns within the community because the individuals are going to be engaged. It will redound to the families and in turn everybody in the area.”
Weather permitting; the Public Works Corporation is expecting that rehabilitation works on the Delices main road will be complete by August 29, 2012.