JavaScript is disabled in your web browser or browser is too old to support JavaScript. Today almost all web pages contain JavaScript, a scripting programming language that runs on visitor's web browser. It makes web pages functional for specific purposes and if disabled for some reason, the content or the functionality of the web page can be limited or unavailable.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Multiple protests in South Trinidad over bad roads, flooding

by

RADHICA DE SILVA
1078 days ago
20220725
Residents of Poui Trace protest bad roads and flooding in the area, on Monday 25 July 2022. (Image by RISHI RAGOONATH)

Residents of Poui Trace protest bad roads and flooding in the area, on Monday 25 July 2022. (Image by RISHI RAGOONATH)

RAD­HI­CA DE SIL­VA
rad­hi­ca.sookraj@guardian.co.tt

 

Po­lice and fire­fight­ers are cur­rent­ly try­ing to dis­man­tle mul­ti­ple fiery road block­ades across Bar­rack­pore, Princes Town and St Mary’s as res­i­dents, farm­ers and taxi dri­vers con­tin­ue to stage protests, to­day.

They are protest­ing to high­light de­plorable road con­di­tions, poor drainage and flood­ing in the re­gion.

The protests start­ed around 8 am at Poui Trace in St Mary’s. Res­i­dents chopped down trees and dragged them to the cen­tre of the road­way along with heaps of tyres, derelict ve­hi­cles and old ap­pli­ances.

It lat­er spread to Gun­ness Trace, Rochard Dou­glas Road and Moru­ga Main Road near La Lune Vil­lage.

Among those caught in the block­ades was a Nu­trim­ix truck­er who was on his way to de­liv­er 10,000 pounds of an­i­mal feeds to farm­ers.

Farmer Arnold Maraj said the nat­ur­al wa­ter­cours­es in the area had been blocked by vil­lagers, re­sult­ing in ex­ten­sive flood­ing.

"I lost 25 crates of bear­ing cab­bages and 20 crates of nurs­ery cab­bages that were al­ready cul­ti­vat­ed and fer­til­ized," he said.

Maraj said the ones who blocked wa­ter­cours­es should be held re­spon­si­ble. He called on the Min­istry of Works and the Princes Town Re­gion­al Cor­po­ra­tion to clear the drains and fix the roads.

An­oth­er res­i­dent, De­onar­ine Singh of Poui Road, said nat­ur­al wa­ter­cours­es have been blocked by ad hoc de­vel­op­ment.

"The Min­istry of Works al­so did some work near­by and changed the wa­ter­course. They have been try­ing to get the wa­ter up­hill." he told Guardian Me­dia.

He said af­ter the res­i­dents staged protests two weeks ago, a back­hoe was brought in, but min­i­mal work was done.

"The back­hoe was re­moved and is now at a con­struc­tion site where they are build­ing a new ceme­tery," he said.

He al­so ac­cused the Cor­po­ra­tion of do­ing sub-stan­dard work.

Guardian Me­dia will bring you more as this sto­ry un­folds.

PoliceFloodingProtestRoadTrinidadFire Service


Related articles

Sponsored

Weather

PORT OF SPAIN WEATHER

Sponsored

Today's
Guardian

Publications

The Executive of the National Parang Association 2025-27. Back row, from left: Kervin Preudhomme, assistant secretary; Shaquille Headley, committee member; Cheriese Pierre, committee member; Lisa Lee, trustee; Joanne Briggs, PRO; Yarelis Touissant, committee member; William Calliste, trustee. Front row, from left: Jenais Carter, secretary; Alicia Jaggasar, president; Henrietta Carter, vice president; Joseph Bertrand, youth officer. Missing: Kerrylee Chee Chow, treasurer; Chevone Pierre, committee member.

The Executive of the National Parang Association 2025-27. Back row, from left: Kervin Preudhomme, assistant secretary; Shaquille Headley, committee member; Cheriese Pierre, committee member; Lisa Lee, trustee; Joanne Briggs, PRO; Yarelis Touissant, committee member; William Calliste, trustee. Front row, from left: Jenais Carter, secretary; Alicia Jaggasar, president; Henrietta Carter, vice president; Joseph Bertrand, youth officer. Missing: Kerrylee Chee Chow, treasurer; Chevone Pierre, committee member.

The Executive of the National Parang Association 2025-27. Back row, from left: Kervin Preudhomme, assistant secretary; Shaquille Headley, committee member; Cheriese Pierre, committee member; Lisa Lee, trustee; Joanne Briggs, PRO; Yarelis Touissant, committee member; William Calliste, trustee. Front row, from left: Jenais Carter, secretary; Alicia Jaggasar, president; Henrietta Carter, vice president; Joseph Bertrand, youth officer. Missing: Kerrylee Chee Chow, treasurer; Chevone Pierre, committee member.

The Executive of the National Parang Association 2025-27. Back row, from left: Kervin Preudhomme, assistant secretary; Shaquille Headley, committee member; Cheriese Pierre, committee member; Lisa Lee, trustee; Joanne Briggs, PRO; Yarelis Touissant, committee member; William Calliste, trustee. Front row, from left: Jenais Carter, secretary; Alicia Jaggasar, president; Henrietta Carter, vice president; Joseph Bertrand, youth officer. Missing: Kerrylee Chee Chow, treasurer; Chevone Pierre, committee member.

Jaggasar returns as National Parang president

Yesterday
Charles Town junior drummers and dancers take to the stage

Charles Town junior drummers and dancers take to the stage

Charles Town junior drummers and dancers take to the stage

Charles Town junior drummers and dancers take to the stage

Jamaican Maroons celebrate, question land rights

Yesterday
Sherron Harford

Sherron Harford

Sherron Harford

Sherron Harford

Sherron Harford’s holistic mission

to transform the lives of girls

2 days ago
Despite finding out just three days earlier—on December 23—that I had breast cancer, I still got dressed and showed up on December 26, Boxing Day, for a birthday party. I didn’t go to escape the truth. I went to remind myself I was still here, still living, still me.

Despite finding out just three days earlier—on December 23—that I had breast cancer, I still got dressed and showed up on December 26, Boxing Day, for a birthday party. I didn’t go to escape the truth. I went to remind myself I was still here, still living, still me.

Despite finding out just three days earlier—on December 23—that I had breast cancer, I still got dressed and showed up on December 26, Boxing Day, for a birthday party. I didn’t go to escape the truth. I went to remind myself I was still here, still living, still me.

Despite finding out just three days earlier—on December 23—that I had breast cancer, I still got dressed and showed up on December 26, Boxing Day, for a birthday party. I didn’t go to escape the truth. I went to remind myself I was still here, still living, still me.

Nicole Drayton’s breast cancer journey–Fear, faith, and fighting back

Yesterday