CONFESSIONAL SCHOOLS
YEAR 2012
ST ESPRIT COLLEGE, RIVIERE NOIRE - SAFETY & SECURITY (26/06/12)
(No. B/372) Mrs J. Radegonde (Fourth Member for Savanne & Black River) asked the Minister of Education and Human Resources whether, in regard to the Saint Esprit College, Rivière Noire, he will state where matters stand as to the proposed measures to be implemented to ensure the safety and security of the school children before and after school hours.
(Withdrawn)
LA CONFIANCE COLLEGE – TRAFFIC PROBLEM (23/10/12)
Mr F. Quirin (Third Member for Beau Bassin & Petite Rivière): M. le président, ma requête ce soir s’adresse au ministre des infrastructures publiques et je vais faire référence à deux courriers adressés au Traffic Management Unit par le recteur du collège de la Confiance en date du 11 mai et 21 septembre 2012 et qui sont restés sans réponse. M. le président, je dépose ici une
copie de ces deux lettres.
Ces deux courriers en effet, M. le président, font état du danger que représente pour les élèves et enseignants du collège la flotte de véhicules sortant de la rue Albatros au Morcellement de la Confiance et de l’impasse la Confiance pour aller vers la rue Dr. Reid. L’entrée du college de la Confiance se trouve à proximité de ces deux rues qui sont, je le rappelle, régulièrement utilisées par les automobilistes qui prennent cette rue comme raccourci en sortant de Rose Hill vers Port Louis, évitant ainsi les embouteillages du centre ville de Beau Bassin, et, bien sûr, dans le sens inverse aussi, c’est à dire Port Louis vers Rose Hill.
J’avais soulevé en juin 2010, dans cette Assemblée, le danger que cela représente pour les habitants de la rue Albatros au Morcellement de la Confiance, les véhicules empruntent cette rue comme raccourci de Rose Hill vers Port Louis en passant par le morcellement et par Chebel.
M. le président, cette fois-ci ce sont les élèves du collège de la Confiance qui sont confrontés à ce problème. Comme je vous ai dit, en 2010, j’avais effectué une descente des lieux en compagnie de l’ancien Directeur du Traffic Management Unit, M. Reesaul, à deux reprises afin de trouver une solution à ce problème telle que l’installation des obstacles entre autres. Mais, malheureusement, rien n’a été fait jusqu’ici. Je fais donc un pressant appel au ministre des infrastructures publiques pour qu’une nouvelle descente des lieux soit effectuée avec ses officiers, l’honorable PPS Issack, mes collègues l’honorable Bhagwan et l’honorable Li Kwong Wing et moi-même de façon à ce que des solutions soient trouvées rapidement afin d’éviter que des accidents ne surviennent dans cette région de Beau Bassin.
Je vous remercie, M. le président.
ST ESPRIT COLLEGE, RIVIÈRE NOIRE – ROAD SAFETY & SECURITY (30/10/12)
(No. B/618) Mrs J. Radegonde (Fourth Member for Savanne & Black River) asked the vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Public Infrastructure, National Development Unit, Land Transport and Shipping whether, in regard to road safety and security, he will state if he has received any correspondence dated 24 July 2012, from the Manager of the St Esprit College, Rivière Noire, expressing his deep concerns of risks of accident within the vicinity thereof and if so, indicate the measures taken in relation thereto, if any.
The vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Public Infrastructure, National Development Unit, Land Transport and Shipping (Mr Bachoo): Mr Deputy Speaker Sir, I have been informed that a correspondence dated 24 July 2012 from the Manager of St Esprit College was received at the Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit (TMRSU).
The TMRSU, therefore, carried out a site visit and recommended the road safety measures to be implemented. Same was approved by my Ministry and the authorities concerned have been assigned the different tasks including, inter alia -
(a) the proper fixing of the STOP sign and redoing the STOP line marking which is essential to prevent overshooting at this T-junction;
(b) to deter speeding, ongoing speed enforcement activities shall be carried out over a long period of time at this locus by the Traffic Police as the construction of road humps along this classified B Road are not recommended, and
(c) handrails found on one edge of [B9] road would be removed and replaced by guardrails over a length of about 40 m.
I also wish to inform that Mr Patrick Antonio of Collège du Saint Esprit Rivière Noire was made aware of the above recommendations and on 24 August 2012 he acknowledged our correspondence.
Mrs Radegonde: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to draw the attention of the hon. vice-Prime Minister to the fact that since the implementation of the St Esprit College at Riviere Noire, the Rector has sent three letters addressed to his Ministry and the Road Safety Unit. The two letters addressed to his Ministries dated 08 September 2008 and 24 July 2012 and another one dated 06 April 2009 was addressed to the Road Safety Unit. In a reply to hon. Ganoo on 16 June 2009, using the hon. vice-Prime Minister’s words, I quote –
“Upon request, the Ministry of Housing and Lands has initiated action for compulsory acquisition of land on both sides of the road for the construction of lay-by and footpath.”
Over three years, I heard the same answer concerning the lay-by, the STOP sign and again the hon. vice-Prime Minister just mentioned: (a) to fix the STOP sign, and (d) provision of pavement footpath. May I ask the hon. vice-Prime Minister if he has acquired land and what next step to be taken as a measure of priority to ensure the safety of the students of St. Esprit College and its vicinity?
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in fact, I conducted two site visits. Last week I was on the spot. It is a very dangerous situation there and for the last three years, in fact, we have been looking for ways and means to improve the situation. Last week I was there together with the Minister of that Constituency, hon. Hervé Aimée. We went on the site accompanied by all technicians of my Ministry. In fact, we wanted to put a footbridge but, unfortunately, the situation is such that the bridge will not be able to sustain the footbridge. I have got a report, which I did not mention, but which clearly spells out that a new structure has to be put on the spot and that is the reason why I could not put up the footbridge, which I had already promised earlier. What we are doing now is that we are working on the detailed design of a new bridge because heavy vehicles cannot pass over that bridge. I would request the hon. Member to bear with me, the detailed designs are being prepared and shortly, we will go for the Project Planning Committee (PPC). Once it is approved, steps will be taken to have a new bridge constructed.
Mr Ganoo: May I, very humbly, ask the hon. vice-Prime Minister to expedite matters in view of the heavy flow of transport that is now going through this region. Five hundred meters away there is La Balise project where about hundred villas are being sold; a kilometre away there is another new morcellement of about one thousand plots which are being sold and which have already been marketed. It is becoming a very dangerous area and that is why I appeal to the hon. vice-Prime Minister to expedite matters.
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that is the reason why last week we conducted a site visit and the detailed designs were nearly in completion. Once the designs are completed, we will go for the PPC and seek for the financial clearance.
Mrs Radegonde: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. vice-Prime Minister stated that the provision of traffic lights at T-junction leading to the school is not recommended. I am sure that the hon. vice-Prime Minister is aware - and hon. Ganoo has just raised it - of the increase in traffic due to industrialisation and morcellement project in this region. My question is whether we are waiting for a fatal accident to provide traffic lights as there is a dark spot over the bridge towards Case Noyale.
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I cannot take up a traffic light and put it on my own. In fact, the TMRSU has requested that this is not warranted there and that is the reason.
What they have mentioned clearly is that we are bound to put a footbridge. We wanted to start the work but, ultimately, when we read the report of Luxconsult, we found that it is impossible for us to put up a footbridge. The bridge will not sustain it and that is why we are precipitating and we want to construct a new bridge over there.
The Deputy Speaker: The Table has been advised that PQs B/631 and B/633 have been withdrawn. Next question, hon. Mrs Radegonde!
