Public urged to have patience as work on South Leeward Highway intensifies

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is pleading with the public to have patience as work on the South Leeward Highway intensifies.

Within the past weeks, several traffic diversions were observed as the rehabilitation project of the main road to the leeward side of the island officially began.{{more}}

On Tuesday, in his capacity as the Minister of Transport and Works, Gonsalves asked persons to be understanding of these diversions.

“Many of us – and as you know because the Prime Minister’s residence is up in Old Montrose and once I come out on a Saturday, which I did and they were doing work on Saturday and on Sunday, I would have had to be involved in the diversions,” he said.

“We are going to have real issues along the way for that South Leeward Highway for the next 18 months, because we are going between hospital road and the post office in Layou.

“We all have to be understanding. To fix up the road, you have to break up the existing road, you have to widen, you have to do drains; all sorts of things have to be done.”

Gonsalves also noted that it is hoped that challenges will be minimized as contracting firm, Dipcon Engineering, has produced a traffic plan which the Ministry of Transport and Works and the Traffic Department of the police are working on implementing for the best approach on the road.

“Having said that, even the best arrangements which they consider, we are going to get complaints,” he said.

“It is the nature of life. Of course, when the road is all finished, everybody will be very happy with it.”(BK)