The Shattered Sky

The Proposed Maracas Tunnel September 10, 2010

On Wednesday, September 8th 2010 the Trinidad and Tobago National Budget was presented. Now I liked a lot of what I heard – even if it was a bit short on details – but one that has caused quite a bit of controversy is the Maracas Tunnel.

Now granted, Minister of Finance Mr. Winston Dookeran probably should have better worded what he said in Parliament. He did say a tunnel from Tunapuna to Maracas and when he first said it, I scoffed. Thankfully, the published Budget Statement was a bit clearer. What it stated, and I quote, is as follows:

The fourth growth pole involves developing the North-Coast. We all know how difficult it is to access Maracas Bay through the North Coast Road. Currently, it takes approximately 45 minutes to get from Santa Cruz to Maracas Bay. Furthermore, landslips on the North Coast road are a major deterrent to persons wishing to access this scenic route for pleasure or business. As a result we will do a business plan for a new: ‘Connective Development Project’. This project would create an underground tunnel from Maracas Valley to Maracas Bay, to enable quicker access to the North Coast.

Source: Budget Statement 2011 available at the Ministry of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago website.

Now if one thinks about there is in fact already a road through the Maracas Valley. It could probably use some work to accommodate a better flow of traffic but the road does exist. It ends at a hill on the other side of which is Maracas Bay. Presumably the tunnel being proposed would burrow through this hill which is not a significant distance at all. In fact, persons regularly hike over the said hill on foot.

Currently, access to Maracas Bay is via Maraval or Santa Cruz and then east along North Coast Road. There is also the Arima-Blanchisseuse Road which is an extremely long mountain road that is really more trouble than it is worth. Using that route you then have a rather long westward North Coast Road trek to get to Maracas.

Why a tunnel? I for one strongly believe that the central government should be an enabler. It does not exist to micromanage the nation but to provide opportunity that the people can build upon. A tunnel between Maracas Valley and Maracas Bay would create a new easily navigated access road that punches straight through the hill and into the vicinity of Maracas Bay.

The opportunities are tremendous. There is a zone of flat land around the bay before the Northern Range begins, sitting right where a tunnel should theoretically exit. In fact, a village already exists there so what is stopping a town emerging in its place? Right now what stops it is the lack of easy access. The tunnel can change that. Where there is easy access, people will buy land and build homes. Where there are homes, businesses will emerge to service the residents.

In a few short years with properly enforced building codes, Maracas Bay can become a beautiful beach town.  Fishermen get more business, as do vendors and owners of lodging. A new economic zone emerges servicing locals and foreigners alike – the tourism opportunities of the North Coast become much more accessible and marketable, falling in line with our need to diversify the economy. Not all tourism has to be foreign either; if properly developed then locals looking for a cheap  weekend getaway will have an opportunity right here at home other than Manzanilla/Mayaro.

Not just the North Coast gets to develop; consider that with Maracas Valley becoming an access route to the North Coast, the valley itself begins to develop. With beach access so close in one direction and the Eastern Main Road in the other people move in, business appear, real estate rises…it’s not rocket science.

Yes, I am speaking mostly theoretically. I am not looking at what exists now but what can exist in a few years with appropriate road access. I don’t see the tunnel being excessively expensive either – it is only one hill after all.