PRESS RELEASE – The Ministry of Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport (MIPST) with the assistance of the World Bank under the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP) has procured approximately 300 meters of Bailey Bridges, which translate to almost fifteen (15) bridges.
They arrived in St Lucia on the 12th April 2016, and are presently being kept at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport, Vieux Fort Compound.
The bridges were supplied by 3S Bridges LCC, a company based in Barbados at a cost to the Government of Saint Lucia US$1 422 860.00.
One can recall that the December 2013 trough left the West Coast disconnected from the rest of the island due to the loss of two main bridges namely the Canaries and Piaye Bridges. The Ministry of Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport (MIPST) was able, in less than two weeks, to reconnect the island to full vehicular access bringing the country to a state of normalcy.
This was possible because the Government of Saint Lucia and by extension MIPST had procured bailey bridges prior to the December 2013 Trough which allowed for quick response in erecting the two bridges in record time. Government was also able to assist sister island St. Vincent and the Grenadines in their hour of need with approximately 100 meters of bailey bridges.
This strategic approach has been taken by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport in its effort to help reduce the disaster response time in cases of natural disasters more specifically to bridges that have been compromised or affected.
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