Priorities In TnT Unreliable Public Transportation System

Build A Multi million Dollar Interchange In Curepe...

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This is madness, an expression in T&T that means people are not thinking.

This is a project that was initiated by the previous UNC administration and has allegedly been accused of corrupt in the tendering and approval of contracts.  Allegedly, the contract was worth over $400 million TTDs.

The new PNM administration also saw the need to build an interchange at this particular junction.

The reality is that it is a very dangerous intersection that is normally jammed with traffic in the mornings.  It affects east, west, north and south bound traffic.  It has also been the scene of many a fatal accident over the years.  According to the TTPS statistics, it us usually during the wee hours of the morning when young inebriated drivers think they could beat the traffic lights.

This intersection is definitely needs a solution. The new contract is now at $221 million TTDs, read the article published by the Trinidad Express writer Anna Ramdass Here

PTSC Workers Storms Ceremony for New Buses.

The interchange is not the only thing the government is doing now, they have recently purchased 35 new buses and promised to purchase another 200  in the next 3 years. The idea is to have 500 buses working in T&T.

It all sounds good until you find out that the new buses will be used to "...reduce the PTSC's reliance on using route buses for this purpose, which in the past adversely impacted our route serves"

Now that is madness, according to what the PTSC Chairman said is part of the problem for the poor service PTSC offers is because they use "route" buses for tours.  The priority here is obvious, tours pays, route buses are merely a service to the public.   Read the article here

Two issues both seem unrelated but together it is madness. The real problem with that multi-million dollar contract has to do with priority.  Yes, the interchange must be improved but is a multi-million dollar project the only option. .

People are also dying, not at the intersection but when the only option for transportation is an unregulated, uninsured service sometimes provided by inexperience drivers.  The PH taxis are just not safe.

What is more important, an interchange or a much more improved public transportation system that considers the lives of all the citizens.  Not everyone use that interchange now but an improved transportation system with go a long way to reducing the opportunities afforded to criminals.

It's ok to disagree with this perspective.  I just say it as I see it.