Director of CBE Engineering Associates Limited Mr Carvin Malone, says the Road Town Sewerage Project was suspended late last year due to administrative issues since "the Ministry [of communicatiosn and Works] was trying to get someone to work along with us". This is in contrast to the reason given by Minister Mark. H. Vanterpool who said the project was halted from an engineering standpoint because while working they discovered that there was a caving in that was threatening the integrity of some nearby buildings. Photo: VINO/File

The Road Town Sewerage Project is set to resume soon, according to Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool and CBE Engineering Associates. Photo: GIS

Hon. Vanterpool added that the programme is set to restart soon, however.

The project, according to the Minister for Communications and Works and Fourth District Representative, was stopped towards the end of last year from an engineering standpoint because while working they discovered that there was a caving in that was threatening the integrity of some nearby buildings.

He explained that a lot of the pipes around the Road Town round-about have to be removed and has been done in part to-date.  “…and we are going to be removing some more.”

“We want to look at a different system of how we operate by using what we call sheet piling while we are working and we are getting ready to restart that programme to get that pipe into that pump station that you see there before we put a new pump in there...” said Hon. Vanterpool. That aspect of the project is likely to be completed within ninety days of its recommencement.

Interesting though, Director of CBE Engineering Associates Limited Mr Carvin Malone, when contacted by Virgin Islands News Online said he was not aware that the project was suspended for the reason highlighted by Hon. Vanterpool but rather that it was more of an administrative issue since "the Ministry was trying to get someone to work along with us".

Mr Malone did confirm that the Road Town Sewerage Project is set to resume shortly.

Ten local contractors have been hired by the Ministry of Communications and Works to carry out the works. It is costing Government $866,681.

At the contract signing on February 3, 2012 the subject Minister Hon. Mark Vanterpool disclosed that “$588,000 are for the contractors, the purchase orders cost $128,908 and the agreements for the purchase orders amount to $149,088.”

Meanwhile, name calling with a dash of humor; “a little nuisance in the Eighth District” referring to the district’s representative Hon. Marlon A. Penn, Hon. Vanterpool gave the assurance that the sewerage problem at East End will be fixed once and for all.

The issue of a lousy sewage system at East End, which the district’s representative Hon. Penn has reportedly been constantly banging in the ears Hon. Vanterpool, is set to be addressed at a final push.

The Communications and Works minister alluded to their intentions of recommencing the sewage works in East End while noting the insistence of Hon. Penn as it relates to the matter. He described Hon. Penn as “a little nuisance in the 8^th district” because he reportedly made use of every possible opportunity to “cry at his door” to have the sewage problem rectified.

Residents have long been complaining of the problem, noting that along with the non-stop swamping of roads and alleyways, the situation fuels the breeding of rodents and pests, which ultimately amount to serious health risks and concerns.