Freelance Contributor
Motorists seeking to escape traffic by using roadways along abandoned Caroni (1975) Limited housing lots may soon notice a new kind of traffic—litter wardens lying in wait for offenders who have transformed the area into an illegal dumping ground.
The site, which links the Connector Road in Charlieville to the Caroni Savannah Road, has become a lifeline for drivers each morning and afternoon seeking to escape the gridlock of Charlieville. Yet, alongside the stream of vehicles, heaps of discarded waste have become a familiar and unwelcome sight.
Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed yesterday lamented the persistent problem.
“For the past ten years, the lands intended for former Caroni workers have been left abandoned, creating opportunities for illegal dumping,” he explained.
“At the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, we continue to clean these illegal dump sites, but unfortunately, as soon as they are cleared, persons return and dump again.”
The mayor said Government plans to distribute the lands remain on the table.
“While I cannot give a specific date, it is already on the agenda, and once allocated, the lands will no longer remain abandoned. This will also bring an end to illegal dumping on these sites.”
In the meantime, residents can expect stricter enforcement. Mohammed said litter wardens are preparing stakeout operations at known hotspots.
“Those found engaging in this disgraceful act will face the full penalty of the law,” he warned.
Until then, the abandoned Caroni plots remain caught between two forces: a community seeking relief from traffic woes, and an authority determined to reclaim the land from lawlessness and litter.
