For the second time in two weeks disgruntled Morvant residents blocked the Lady Young Road demanding Government immediate intervention to improve the standard of living in the community including a proper water supply and making employment opportunities available to them.
The residents, who blocked the road and lit tyres from as early as 5.30 am, vowed to keep up the protests until they get a response from the authorities. The residents denied that their protest action was politically motivated.
On May 15, residents in a co-ordinated protest blocked off areas of the Lady Young Road and the Eastern Main Road which led to gridlock traffic for those entering Port-of-Spain. The Priority Bus Route was opened up to help alleviate the traffic congestion and bring relief to stranded commuters.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, one of the protestors, Akeil Baig said after the first protest they met with their Member for Parliament (Laventille West), Fitzgerald Hinds who listened to their concerns.
“He only listened but he said that he could not do anything to help right now. So who we could turn to in the long run, then.”
“Right now we are faced with bad roads, the community centre need fixing and we need programmes for the youth. But right now we are being neglected and it is like nobody cares,” Baig said.
Another resident, who asked not to be identified, said police officers instead of giving guidance to the youth they were provoking them.
“Them police and them is no good. They harassing us and saying they will lock us up but for what? Not all ah we here is criminals and bad in here you know,” the resident said.
Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Romney Thomas said he made some enquiries yesterday when he heard about the protest and got information that a spring in the area had dried up.
He said he was not sure as to whether it was because of the harsh dry season or if that the spring is no longer viable.
Thomas said WASA officials will visit the area soon “to put a more solution in place, to see if they could come up with a viable solution.”
Text messages to Hinds were not answered.
