Special Cabinet team to relocate noisy workshops, create recreational spaces -Edghill
A special Cabinet-level team has been deployed nationwide to identify land for relocating heavy-duty trucks and noisy workshops out of residential areas, while at the same time developing safe recreational spaces within communities, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill has said.
Speaking on Monday, Edghill said the initiative, spearheaded by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, brings together several ministries to tackle long-standing community concerns without disrupting livelihoods.
“Across the country, a special team has been put together by His Excellency the President, of cabinet ministers; Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce,” Edghill said. He explained that the team has been tasked with identifying areas in all regions “for enhancement work, to provide safe recreation for people in their communities.”
At the same time, the minister said the government is moving to address persistent complaints about heavy-duty truck parking and industrial activities operating in residential neighbourhoods.
“We also have to find available lands to deal with the issue that has been troubling us for years, parking for heavy duty trucks, moving out the noise nuisances from communities, which will be body workshops that are spray painting and they operate in neighborhoods,” he said.
Edghill was keen to stress that the exercise is not intended to shut down businesses.
“We don’t want to shut down economic activity. Let me make that very clear,” he said. “Everything that the President has done and has said is to drive economic activity.”
According to the minister, the Ministry of Public Works will continue enforcing the Road Act and improving traffic management and safety, while ensuring that workshops and other activities are relocated in an orderly manner.
“While we enforce the road act, while we enforce and improve traffic management and traffic safety… getting the welding shops and the body workshops and the carpentry shops… out of the communities… is not to shut them down,” Edghill said.
He noted that the Cabinet team is examining available lands across communities to properly site these activities, alongside other infrastructure such as waste management facilities.
“We are exploring and looking across every community… we have available lands. We can do a landfill way down the depth so we can be able to manage waste properly,” he said.
Edghill added that open spaces, seawall reserves and other areas are also being assessed for community enhancement works aimed at recreation and engagement, noting that many of these initiatives are being guided by the First Lady.
“Much of this has been done with the excellent eye and management of Her Excellency, the First Lady,” he said.
He said residents can expect to see visible improvements nationwide as the programme rolls out.
“So across the country, from region to region, you will see development,” Edghill said.
