NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 26, 2019) — Work continues on Phase 1 of the Ministry of Communication and Work’s Craddock Road Rehabilitation Project, from the intersection at Stuart Williams Drive to the former Debbie’s Disco property.

Hon. Spencer Brand, Minister responsible for the Public Works Department, visited the work site on July 25, 2019, for a first-hand look at the ongoing project and said he felt it necessary to give the public an update.

“At the moment we are working assiduously to complete the initial phase from the top of the Craddock Road area down to what we used to call the Debbie’s Disco…That is the initial phase that we want to complete in a very short period of time and then we would continue to the other areas of this project.

“So I thought it was necessary and important to give the general public that update as to where we are. We are dealing with some drainage issues and we are also ensuring that we do a job that we feel would be admired by not only the tourists but also the residents of Craddock Road,” he said.

The minister explained that the installation of water pipes some months ago from the top of Cradock Road to Gasspree and from Big Rock to the junction of the Nevis Performing Arts Centre was followed by a short lull. Work has recommenced and at least 400 feet of U-drain to deal with drainage issues has so far been constructed from the top of Craddock Road to the property of Mr .Conrad Smithen.

“We are also in the process of rein in the ghaut at the end of the U drain so that we can control the drainage in a much better way in this area.

“We are also in the process of completing some 1,500 feet of road work by ripping the initial concrete surface. We have also installed some fill material and we have another section of this area to rip and have the fill installed and then we would have the completion of this section very shortly,” he said

Mr. Brand expressed hope that the actual road construction in the initial phase of the project would be completed soon.

“This initial phase from the top of Craddock Road down to Debbie’s Disco we hope we would have that completed shortly after Culturama…and this would be the initial phase as it regards to the actual road construction.

“Thereafter we will continue from the Debbie’s Disco down to the Craddock Road proper and all the way down to Big Rock down to the Pinney’s area. So that is the plan and we hope that we will have this completed substantially by the end of the year,” he said.

Meantime, the minister used the opportunity to thank the residents of Craddock Road and environs for their continued patience with hazards created as a result of the ongoing works in the project.

“I want to say to the residents of Craddock Road and the neighbouring area to bear with us. We know that we are creating a situation here where a lot of dust is around. We want to thank you for your patience and your understanding. I certainly want to apologise for the dust.

“We are trying as far as possible to wet the road during the course of the day so that we can keep that dust down and we are hoping that we can complete this project in a very short period of time so that we can eliminate the nuisance of the dust and the noise in the neighbourhood…I want to say thanks to the residents and I want to ask them to continue to be patient and to bear with us as we execute and have this project implemented in the shortest possible time,” he said.

Minister Brand was accompanied on the work site by Mr. Denzil Stanley, Assistant Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communication and Works.