Construction has begun on the B Field Sophia thoroughfare as part of the government’s agenda to improve connectivity and ease commuting for residents.
Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill is warning that progress on the project is being hindered by abandoned stalls encroaching on the road shoulder.
During a site inspection on Tuesday, the minister said that all efforts have been made to remove the encumbrances.
“We have been talking about this now for several months. We have sought to remove all the encumbrances on the reserve…Wherever we have encroachments where people are plying their business or selling, we have sought to build tarmacs so that we can transition them from the roadway and encroachment on these tarmacs,” he said, adding that no one is being displaced or put out of business.
The current challenge, he added, involves two stalls that have been unoccupied for a prolonged period.
Despite repeated efforts, the ministry has been unable to contact the owners.
Minister Edghill said the structures pose an immediate logistical problem, as long-haul trailers transporting sheet piles for the project must turn off Dennis Street.
The length of the piles, he explained, makes the turn impossible while the encroachments remain.
“We are not breaking down people’s places; that is not the style of the government. Whenever there are encroachments, or we need to have a reserve, we have community engagement or community consultation, and that is what we would have done in B Field as well as E Field,” he said.
According to Minister Edghill, “Tarmacs are being made, but overnight we must have these two encroachments removed so that we may be able to get the piles in,” he stated.
He further issued a final appeal for the owners to contact the ministry, noting that contractors have been instructed to proceed with demolition with immediate effect if no response is received.
Meanwhile, the ongoing construction at B Field will mirror that of E Field Sophia.
A wider road network in the area is also set for improvement, with the Dennis Street corridor earmarked for an upgrade featuring two lanes on each side of the drainage trench.
Minister Edghill also reassured residents that Sophia remains a priority for development, stating the community has not been left out of the government’s plans for Budget 2026.