Why do we still suffer the same fate every time it rains?
Dear Editor,
After a long period of drought the heavens have been blessing us in an overly active record-breaking hurricane season. This has increased the water level in the dams and reservoirs, which allowed the National Water Commission (NWC) to ease the water restrictions in the Corporate Area.
The heavenly blessings, however, have shun light on the issue of substandard road construction. There has been reports in the media of road closures all over the island. Huge potholes and road breakaways are partly due to lack of proper and, in some instance, no drainage systems.
What is even more telling is to see newly constructed roads break like potato chips after a shower of rain.
It is easily understood that water by itself can be destructive and, for a country that expects hurricanes for at least six months every year, provisions should be made to mitigate against its destruction. The roads are flat, and with no where for the water to run, it settles on the one inch of asphalt and soaks into marl which in a short time becomes a pool.
With our recurring experiences over the years of rain causing road damage, why do we still suffer the same fate every time it rains? Who passes the roads after construction or repairs?
Roads have been costing the country billions unnecessarily due to substandard construction. It is full time we stop throwing away hard-earned money and hold contractors accountable for poor and shoddy road construction work.
Drain construction and cleaning, too, can save us some money.