Officials at the Ministry of Works have begun efforts to replace manhole covers that were stolen from streets in the capital.
Senior Civil Engineer in the Ministry of Works Henry Moxey told ZNS News that the stolen grates have been traced to scrap metal dealers who were caught and brought before the courts.
Moxey said that the new covers being installed will have a safety mechanism on them that will make it difficult for them to be stolen. He said, “when persons would have normally gone in the past and removed the lids they could have easily just pulled them up. But these ones they’re bolted down so it will require you to carry special tools in order to remove them.”
According to Moxey the cost of replacing the stolen covers is approximately $200,000. “It was serious to the extent that it created hazard on the road. First motoring public, there’s chances of breaking axels and the like. In addition to pedestrian traffic, persons walking not paying much attention could have easily have fallen into those pits. And so those were the two primary hazard associated with the absence of those lids,” Moxey said.
