Radio talk show host Claude Skelton Cline has described the roads in the East End/Long Look area not only as the worst on Tortola but the worst in the world.
Cline made the comments during a recent airing of his Honestly Speaking radio programme where he shed light on what he described to be a growing issue in the two districts.
He said, “The roads in the East End/Long Look area… that has to be the worst piece of road without exaggeration on the planet. But secondly, it’s the worst piece of road on Tortola and it has created… we’re hearing from police officers, we’re hearing from children, we’re hearing from parents, that the road is so hazardous, it’s hazardous for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.”
Cline said he is of the opinion that the roads which are located in the Seventh and Eighth districts should not be this bad, considering that both districts have sitting representatives in the House of Assembly who are also both Cabinet members.
“It’s not lost on the people of the Long Look/ East End area that their representatives for the Seventh and the Eighth Districts are persons who are sitting in the House of Assembly, persons who are sitting in Cabinet and I’m not sure what the challenge is. We know the Minister for Communication and Works that deals with roads infrastructure, all of these are good men who sit in the House of Assembly, sit in Cabinet. The people in those areas: parents, children, our police officers, are reporting high incidents of traffic accidents,” he explained.
Gov’t should find at least a temporary fix
The former government consultant said he believes that the National Unity Government should find a solution to the present bad road infrastructure on the eastern end of Tortola, even if it is a temporary fix.
“The point is we can find some gravel somewhere. We can find some asphalt somewhere… I simply want to say out loud particularly to the requisite authorities that there is a hazard with the traffic on the roads in that Long Look/East End area that needs immediate attention. It’s unconscionable that we are forcing both residents and guests to traverse such a terrible piece of road. It is unfortunate that school is reopened and children are having to walk those roads and drive on those roads”, Cline added.