Government Prioritises Road Repairs and Flood Resilience Following May Storms

Montserrat’s infrastructure vulnerabilities came into sharp focus following the May 2025 flash floods, prompting urgent action to repair damaged roads and drainage systems, Minister of BUILT Veronica Dorsette-Hector told Parliament on Monday.

The minister said teams from Public Works, the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA), and local contractors worked around the clock to restore access to key areas including Lookout, St John’s, and Brades within 48 hours of the flooding.

“We record our gratitude,” she said, noting that a rapid assessment conducted in the aftermath highlighted the need for improved household and community drainage.

The report identified extensive damage to primary, secondary, and tertiary roads, with “roadway undermining and culvert failure at Cassava Ghaut and Carr’s Bay,” along with surface erosion and abatement slippage on Woodlands Main Road. Collins Ghaut crossing and drainage systems in Barzeys, Judy Piece, and parts of Salem also suffered damage.

“Persons’ properties were also impacted,” Dorsette-Hector confirmed, adding that further culvert and drainage upgrades are being scoped for high-risk areas, including Carr’s Bay.

“These events underscore the vulnerability of our infrastructure and have informed our medium-term priorities,” she stated. “We ask the public to manage vegetation and flood areas responsibly, as together we explore further regulatory improvements to the building code and environmental compliance and build climate resilience.”

The Ministry of BUILT is currently working with the Ministry of Finance to ensure Carr’s Bay is made safe, including the area used by local vendors.

Additional road and drainage repairs are being rolled out as part of the final year of the government’s Infrastructure Priority Agenda. The programme is supported by EC$3.688 million in maintenance funding, with EC$1.27 million earmarked specifically for roads.

“Early works completed this quarter and continuing include concrete road patching in Salem and Judy Piece, pattern and drainage works along flood corridors, and servicing along the A1 Road Rehabilitation Project, including Friths, Mongo Hill, and sections of the A1 corridor,” the minister said.