November 16th, 2009: Former Minister for Works, Gregory Bowen, today expressed concern for Commuters, Bus operators, Businessmen, fishermen and farmers among others who can no longer use the Western Main Road artery due to the collapse of a section of the roadway on which rehabilitative works were being carried out by the Ministry of Works. However Bowen believes that Government must take full responsibility for this disaster since a study for the site under the NNP administration recommended that a road should be constructed behind the stone to avoid blasting which was deemed to be very dangerous. He said the Government failed to do what was required for such a job since it was aware of the impending danger that can be caused from the blasting which was taking place at the site. According to Mr. Bowen, ordinary non-technical Grenadians have been voicing concerns about the manner in which the works were proceeding in this CDB funded project at Brizan and were predicting a disaster as occurred on Sunday 15th November 2009. “The Opposition empathizes with all sectors of our Grenadian society who are affected particularly those consumers who will be without a supply of water for a long period. Bowen calls on the Ministry of works to institute a relief plan for Bus Operators and commuters through a mechanism that will ensure the same fare for travelling along the western route in these hard economic times when all the safety nets have been removed by this Administration. A cursory investigation of the damage points to a longer period than the one week announced by Government before the road can be safely opened, as this depends on the amount of resources put into the restoration and the competence of the Ministry of Works which has been called into question on many occasions in the last sixteen months. The Opposition awaits the report from Government and reminds the public to look carefully at how they will play the ‘blame Game’ as the NNP is in no way involved.