Shastri Boodan
With the festive shopping season approaching, Chaguanas authorities are rolling out a plan to tackle crime, congestion and pavement obstruction.
President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC), Baldath Maharaj, said the Chamber recently met with Mayor Faiq Mohammed, Senior Superintendent Rudolph Bhagwandeen, the Municipal Police and local councillors amid concerns over rising crime and worsening traffic.
“We are on a mission to make the borough safer and easier to move through, particularly during the busiest shopping month,” Maharaj said.
A zero-tolerance crackdown on illegal vending will be the first enforcement measure. Maharaj said the Mayor assured that vendors operating in unauthorised spaces will be removed to clear pavements, reduce bottlenecks and eliminate the cover often used by pickpockets. Legitimate vendors will be relocated to a designated car park next to the old HCU building.
Traffic issues also dominated discussions. Officials are planning an urgent review of the gridlock along Montrose Main Road and the Price Plaza Roundabout, hotspots that have frustrated residents and businesses for years, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings when shopping peaks.
With the borough’s population having grown by 50 percent, Maharaj said the current road network can no longer cope. In the new year, the Chamber will push for meetings on long-overdue additional overpasses to link both sides of the highway.
Meanwhile, police have launched Festive Shield, a high-visibility operation running from November 2025 through to Carnival 2026. Shoppers can expect increased patrols, more blue light vehicles and more joint operations.
“Chaguanas is not a place for criminal activity,” Maharaj said.
The CCIC is also supporting a drive to repair and restore non-operational police vehicles to ensure officers have the fleet required for rapid response and strong patrol coverage.
Maharaj said the measures are essential and urged the public to cooperate as they come into effect.
