St. George’s, July 6, 2012 – An ex-minister of government has expressed worry over what he refers to as “the virtual halt of maintenance work on our public roads throughout the country.’’

Joseph Gilbert, who served as Minister for Works in the Tillman Thomas administration up to October 2011, said he is also concerned about the state of the De-bushing Programme. Government postponed a new round of the programme that was supposed to start last Monday.

Gilbert, MP for St. Patrick West, said the latest development with the De-bushing Programme is contributing to an increase in unemployment and a spike in the level poverty in the country, especially among the rural poor.

“Not only has the regular roadside De-bushing Programme been completely halted, but the much-anticipated pre-carnival road maintenance programme, which has become customary over many years, has also failed to commence,’’ Gilbert said Thursday at a meeting in his constituency.

Gilbert told the gathering he was gravely concerned that the government programmes were suddenly put on hold with no word on when it would begin.

“In the meantime, our roads condition continues to deteriorate. But most importantly, thousands of poor and unemployed persons who desperately look forward to getting a few fortnights work around this time of the year, are left on the breadline,’’ Gilbert lamented.

“The negative impact of this unemployment situation on our carnival celebration goes without saying,’’ he added.

Gilbert is calling on Prime Minister Thomas to urgently reconsider the position of his government, and to begin the customary pre-carnival road De-bushing Programme without further delay.