Due to recent climatic changes, Chief Engineer in the Ministry of Transport and Works Brent Bailey say the focus will now have to change in the way bridges, roads and other infrastructure are constructed.
Bailey in speaking to News784 said instead of looking for direct solutions; they will now have to look at how the structures are designed, including remedial measures to fix a particular problem, how is that going to impact or interact with its surroundings.
He said they would have to look further in identifying weak areas around the project sites so as to mitigate damage at a later stage.
“ We as engineers will have to expand our vision because we will not be able to control the amount of rainfall received, or the type of soil we have, those are things we have to work with”.
“ we have to understand how those two elements interact, and come up with practical measures to make all those conditions work in harmony with any infrastructure we want to build”.
Bailey said he could articulate it, but it is an entirely different thing to have it on paper, because the engineers will have to expand their horizon to look not just at the problem at hand, but visualise a problem that could arise.
Thousands were without power, and schools closed, as parts of the island was cut off by landslides, after persistent rains in November of last year (2016)
Impacts were felt most severely in the northern reaches of the island, near the communities of North Windward and Sandy Bay.