Most Roads in Portland Cleared

Most of the roadways in Portland, which were rendered impassable by the passage of Hurricane Ivan, have been cleared by National Works Agency (NWA) and the Portland Parish Council, to accommodate single lane traffic.
Both entities have been working closely in the aftermath of the hurricane to clear the roads, which were blocked by fallen trees, landslides and various types of debris.
Winston Palmer, Parish Manager for the NWA in Portland, told JIS News that the roads which were still blocked were Silver Hill Gap in Western Portland and the roadway in the Friday community in the Rio Grande area, both of which have been affected by landslides.
He said that clearing both roads would be particularly challenging, because of the technical difficulties involved, but he was confident that some level of clearance would be achieved by the end of this week, to enable the free flow of traffic.
Mr. Palmer pointed out that the NWA had engaged the services of its private contractors in the parish as well as its own resources, to ensure that the road rehabilitation programme is carried out speedily.
The Parish Manager commended members of the various communities in the parish for the co-operation and patience they have displayed in the face of the difficulties confronting them, and exhorted them to take great care in using the roads at this time.
Turning to the parish council roads, Mr. Palmer said the NWA was providing the assistance needed by the Portland Parish Council to clear minor roads, which have been blocked. He explained that the priority at this time was to bring the roads to a certain state, which would enable the free movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and to re-establish links between communities.