According to NAPE President Carol Furlong, the aftermath of Hurricane Igor caused considerable damage which continues to require ongoing maintenance and repairs. “That can’t be done if the depots are closed and highway workers laid off,” said Furlong.
“After Igor there was a tremendous effort to get work done quickly which resulted in some work being done in piece-meal fashion. “Government now needs to dedicate resources to addressing the temporary maintenance,” Furlong stated. “This is work that cannot be put off. If the maintenance work isn’t carried out this summer another storm like Igor could result in those repairs being destroyed again and even greater damage being caused. Frankly, we believe that the temporary closure of the highway depots resulted in necessary work on our highways being neglected and that is why damage from Igor was so severe. In order to deal with this immediate problem, there is a very real need to ensure a full contingent of highway workers to deal with the maintenance of our highways. In recent years Government has spent millions of dollars on upgrading infrastructure, only to see it destroyed because of a lack of proper maintenance. The work is not being done because of a lack of highway personnel in summer. Government recently announced it will have a substantial surplus on budget day. It is not a question of money but rather a question of priority. It has been proven in the past that our roads, bridges and drainage system were not adequate to deal with the runoff from severe storms. Now is the time to develop the necessary infrastructure, not leave it until the next disaster,” said Furlong.
For further information contact
Carol Furlong at 709- 570-2471
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