St. George’s, November 3, 2011 – Residents of St. Patrick, who have been promised major improvement to the road network in the parish, have been told that it’s a promise that will be kept.

“My pledge to the constituents of St. Patrick to expand the road network in the Town of Sauteurs would not be frustrated,’’ MP Joseph Gilbert reassured residents on Wednesday.

He reiterated the commitment at the conclusion of what he referred to as a “very gratifying tour’’ of the proposed traverse for the development of a new network of streets in Sauteurs.

According to the proposal, a  new “principal street’’ will  be constructed from Low Town in Sauteurs, close to the entrance to the old Carib-E Cinema building, running roughly parallel to Main Street. It will have connecting streets to High Street and the middle of Main Street.

“Sauteurs is often referred to as the ‘Town with only one street’. I am working to change that with God’s help,’’ said Mr. Gilbert, MP for St. Patrick West and Minister of Environment, Foreign Trade and Export Development.

Touring the proposed traverse on Wednesday along with Minister Gilbert were Chief Technical Officer (CTO) in the Ministry of Works, Cecil Harris; Engineer kelvon Burke of the Ministry of Works; Road Officer for the area, Peter Charles; and Reverend Osbert James of the Presbyterian Church in Grenada.

Rev. James was specifically invited to join the touring party since, for the most part, the proposed new network of roads would encroach on lands belonging to the Presbyterian Church.

“This process of  engagement and dialogue that we are undertaking with individual  property owners, who are most likely to be affected by the proposed new streets, is an important aspect of the overall process of public consultation,’’ observed CTO Harris. “It could take several weeks to complete.’’

The proposed project is one of the first to come out of the Greater Sauteurs Local Area Plan, which was developed by the Physical Planning Unit of the Ministry of Works in 2010.

The plan was drafted after wide public consultations with Parishioners of St. Patrick with MP Gilbert – as an experienced Civil Engineer and the then Minister of Works and Physical Development – playing a key role in the exercise.

Speaking after the visual survey of the intended route for the construction of the new streets for Sauteurs, Rev. James expressed delight with the proposed project. He promised his full support to ensure that it is successfully executed.

A Project Brief of the road initiative has already been drawn up by MP Gilbert.

“A full Project Proposal for sourcing the necessary financing for the study, design and construction phases of this historic project is expected to be completed shortly, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance,’’ said Mr. Gilbert.