CABINET has approved $300 million to begin repairs on several roads, gullies and drains which were damaged during the recent heavy rains, Transport and Works Minister, Mike Henry, announced on Tuesday.

Preliminary estimates of the damage caused by the rains, which lashed the island for six consecutive days, were put at $631 million.

“Of the 631 million bill which went to Cabinet, $300 million was approved for immediate accessibility for us to begin repairs. Some of those repairs started from Saturday of this week and could be seen in some areas,” Henry said at Tuesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing.

He said the funds, which were allocated to undertake Hurricane Dean repairs, will be transferred to the Ministry of Transport and Works to effect repairs to a number of major roads.

“Previous to the flood rains, we had some approved funds against the Dean Hurricane damage and those funds are also going to be given to the Ministry during the course of this week,” Henry explained.

“The aim of the ministry is to try to get as many of the major roads which were damaged in some kind of drivable condition by filling the potholes and seeking to bring them in an acceptable state,” he further added.

In the meantime, Henry said he was still awaiting the final estimate of the October rain damage. Once this estimate is completed, he will then seek more funding from Cabinet to carry out further road repairs.