5:30pm UPDATE: The trench across East Bay Street has now been repaired.

MOTORISTS who have suffered traffic congestion and potential damage to their vehicles caused by a trench across East Bay Street in the past two weeks may soon find the problem fixed.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Colin Higgs, on Thursday admitted that his office had been unaware of what led to the decision to dig the trench that has forced traffic to slow when crossing it on the main thoroughfare leading east out of Nassau.

The trench crosses East Bay Street east of the old Paradise Island bridge opposite the Double Dragon restaurant and is believed to be part of improvement works to Potter's Cay.

Mr Higgs said that while regulations call for approvals to be given ahead of such road operations, the Ministry of Works has no record of approval for the work being carried out. However, he told The Tribune the Ministry of Works is working to have the trench closed “between 5pm this evening (Thursday) and first thing (Friday) morning”.

One irate motorist remarked: “Ultimately it should be paved but in the interim they should at least make it level with compacted sand or dirt or put some metal sheets over it.”

Before and after road repair.

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