 The Ministry of Infrastructure, Courts, Energy and Labor has provided an update to the public about the Rodney Bay Road Improvement Project and has also addressed recent false information being circulated. The Ministry has explained that all procedures have been followed on the project which is under its proving. The much anticipated project is meant to alleviate congestion on the roads while also providing safe sidewalks and bus stops for pedestrians and is part of the Government's National Road Rehabilitation Project. Project Manager at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Mr Ted Versus Roberts explained the rationale for the Rodney Bay Road Redevelopment. The Ministry of Infrastructure realized that we were having quite a bit of congestion on our roads, especially the north coast roads going into Brazil. So initially a falling highway would be done from VG roundabout coming up. As you realize we've done pieces to try to make it better. We did recently the piece from the Halcyon Club going up to the shock roundabout and now we see this area as an area where it has become worse. If one realizes that many, many motorists would be congested in the area here where vehicles are attempting to go into the shopping mall area and by virtue of attempting to turn in it is quite a bit of traffic back. We wanted to eliminate that and make the flow of traffic a lot easier. For the Ministry of Infrastructure, it was necessary that the project awarded to First Start Construction meet international standards and the plans reflect the government's overall trust to build resilience. With standards, there are certain size roundabouts that you need, certain strength of concrete you need, certain lifelong of roadway you need. We looked at all of this and we have designed this one to meet the standards in terms of the size of the roundabout, two in terms of giving the asphaltic pavement which will be the best, the vehicles will be running on a minimum of a 20-year span with our design and also we did quite a bit of a traffic survey where we ensure that the flow of traffic will flow freely without any hesitation, without problems, without the backlog which we got accustomed to. In terms of the awarding of the contract for the project, the Ministry of Infrastructure explained how the design-build-finance approach has worked. When we wanted to begin the construction we suggested the redesign of the two roundabouts. We had what we call a design-build-finance program. In that design-build-finance program, basically the contractor comes in with the money, he designs, constructs and all we do, all the Ministry of Infrastructure does is supervise the work, ensuring that it is being done as per design. So because we had only two contractors on board, we offered it to one of the two contractors. Initially we offered it to one who was part of the big team and because of his commitments he was not able to do it. So it was offered to the other to come up with the money and then do the design and build for it. The project manager explained that the due process was followed every step of the way and there was nothing illegal about the project. It isn't illegal simply because like I said initially it came through the Ministry of Infrastructure, the chief engineer and the then Minister of Infrastructure. So it could not have been illegal. However currently with the construction of it the way it is everything has been reported to the PS, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure who is the head of the unit. So it continues, it has been reports are given to him, it has been reported to him continuously and it continues to be that way. So I don't understand how it could be illegal when everything is done through the Ministry of Infrastructure. The role of the Ministry of Infrastructure has been supportive in the sense of ensuring that the work is done accordingly. The permanent secretary has stayed on top of issues along with me with concerns of people whether it be a acquisition of land or giving them barriers for their property. Mostly people have been working with us very nicely but the Ministry of Infrastructure on the whole has been in it. In fact after a few concept meetings where we provided the drawings for the public at large long before we even did any work. On two occasions I believe we met with the then Minister of Infrastructure on one occasion we had our architect with us who did a pinpoint demonstration at that meeting the actually the permanent secretary was attending. The then Minister of Infrastructure made a suggestion that we move the wronged about which was by MTI to that of the Aquatic Center to ensure with growth because of development which he knew was coming. We concurred and because of that that is why the wronged about is now up by the Aquatic Center and not by MTI which has already been designed so the then Minister of Infrastructure was involved in if he saw it he knew it he made suggestions he helped change part of the process. The project manager further explained why two roundabouts in the Royal DB area would help all motorists. About is necessary because one moving the design from a single to a double roundabout you'd have to have to so vehicles can comfortably come around one enter the shopping area whilst not impeding the traffic going where they'd be enough or south. If you've got one that's not at that central location you've got to have another one where they can turn around so a second roundabout was necessary and hence the reason why we were doing a second one near MTI but of course that got moved based on suggestions by the then Minister of Infrastructure to go higher so the second roundabout became necessary for the purpose of the continued flow and ease of traffic in the area. You go around one you come back you go to your particular place of business or also but you need to turn around you go to the other one you turn around and you come back traffic flows no congestion. The Ministry of Infrastructure is especially pleased with the amount of work which has been done so far and the economic impact of the project. It's actually adhered to ensuring that many solutions get work as much as possible. So what we've done is we seem to have we actually have 12 subcontractors we've hired and through the subcontractors there's a total of 104 employees they've hired we attempt to give everybody something. The contractor himself has a total of 57 employees in various fields he's using here. In addition we have food carers which is part of this we prepare and provide food for the workers especially when they work in late at night. We have security we have people who provide lighting and all of these are outside people. We do our very best to hire people in every part of the field to ensure that everyone gets a tick on it and it's not just the contractor and his employees. So overall we have like I said 157 employees on this job with 12 subcontractors and 104 of his employees. Once the project is complete it will benefit the entire country as Rodney Bay is among the busiest routes in St. Lucia. Mr. Roberts said that the project is already getting major support. We've been getting praises from people as to what's happening. The benefits we have we have four lanes that's going to be coming there. Soon enough we're going to have traffic going around the mouth first to deal with the roadway. But imagine that you do not have that congestion which we used to have and you have traffic flowing freely without any problems whilst traffic can go to certain places which they wish you have traffic that can come around around the mouth and keep going comfortably. That's another benefit this is in the north this is a big development for the north and we intend to develop the island in whatever little way we can we intend to do our best. So just visualize when this is completed soon enough how nice this is going to look with four lanes of traffic. We have lighting coming in the middle with two arms illuminating both sides of the street and a continuous lovely flow of traffic. We intend to later on do some planting along the roadway to give it that sort of beauty. We're driving along the highway and you're driving through a number of trees lovely shade and so on. The intent is to make and help develop this place in whatever way we can. That is an added benefit. Studies show that over 24,000 vehicles traverse the Rodney Bay castries highway daily. As a result the project seeks to improve the flow of traffic as the main Rodney Bay junction has been identified as a cause for traffic backup.