Minister McIntyre said the enhancement to Titou Gorge is also necessary to ensure the proper disposal of waste so as not to pollute the water resources in the area. “One of the main reasons for the bridge as well as pedestrian crossings, visitor crossings and vehicular access sometimes was to make sure that we allow access to the sort of waste disposal type trucks which can come into the area, empty the septic tanks and then they can dispose of the faeces in an appropriate manner rather than allowing it to be drained through the normal septic tank and soak away type system which would have polluted our river in that area,” Minister McIntyre said.
Minister McIntyre stated that through the National Employment Programme, the Titou Gorge site has already been greatly enhanced. “Anyone who visits that area will see the stonework which was carried out on the facility itself and which was paid for through our training programme called “Traditional Stone Cutting and Placement”. This has helped to build and really create a sort of beautiful type of building using local resources, of course, which is stone and which compliments the National Employment Programme which continues to make in-roads in taking care of lower unemployment in Dominica and creating employment for our people,” Minister McIntyre stated.
The Titou Gorge Enhancement Project includes construction of a section of road leading to the river crossing and a bridge across the river. The project cost two hundred and sixty-nine thousand, nine hundred and seventy-one dollars and sixty eight cents ($269,971.68) and employs upwards of ten people.
