00:00Flood-prone communities could soon see some relief as the silting works get
00:05underway across Trinidad, targeting clogged drains and waterways blamed for
00:10persistent flooding. The first phase has begun along the El Socorro Main Road
00:15where heavy silt buildup has been restricting the natural flow of water.
00:20That's both sides of the El Socorro Main Road. We're starting from the highway and
00:24we're going all up to the Kwesi and that is going to take for that particular
00:29period of 30 days. Hussein says the issue has been a long-standing one, accusing
00:34the previous administration of failing to act despite repeated appeals. I have
00:40represented this constituency from the year 2020 and under the previous PNM
00:45administration I have a dossier of letters to the former Minister of Works and
00:50Transport, the last one being Minister Rohan Sinanan, who never had the courtesy to
00:57acknowledge those letters. According to the MP, years of neglect have left drains
01:02heavily clogged, some nearly sealed shut by hardened silt. If you go right now, if you
01:09lift those manhole covers, you would realize that because of the years and
01:12years of silt that has built up, that it probably touches the top of the pavement and
01:19that is hardened silt. Public Utilities Minister Barry Padaroth says the
01:23initiative is not limited to one area, with similar works planned across the
01:29country. From here, we are looking at some other constituencies along the East-West
01:34Corridor. You have seen up to last year the impact that torrential rainfall
01:40continues to have, even after one shower along the East-West Corridor and also in
01:45parts of South and Central Trinidad. He says the program is a coordinated effort
01:50among multiple ministries to address a national problem. This is not about a UNC
01:55constituency or a PNM constituency. Flooding impacts many of our
01:59constituencies across the island and it doesn't wear red and it doesn't wear
02:03yellow and therefore citizens can expect that they will see us in the coming
02:08weeks and months ahead in terms of desilting and dredging some of these water
02:14courses. Residents in the area long affected by flooding are welcoming the
02:20move. And for years I've been having the some flooding problem. Beside we we are
02:28losing goods and I can't have people working so I can't this this clean up
02:38campaign. Arvishita Wari Rubnarain, TV6 News.
