FIERY PROTEST CAUSE TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK INTO POS

By a Staff Reporter:  Residents of Beetham, (an area on the outskirts of Trinidad’s Capital, Port of Spain) staged a fiery protest demonstration early Monday morning, protesting a sewerage problem in the area.

The residents blocked the east and westbound lanes of the Beetham Highway, as well as the Priority Bus Route causing gridlock traffic for more than 2 hours. According to residents, they are at risk because of broken sewerage infrastructure in the area, which poses a serious health hazard. Police officers were forced to divert traffic at the Civilian Conservation Corp. compound onto the Priority Bus Route and then onto the Eastern Main Road, while the debris was being cleared by officers from the Fire Service, as well as the Police Service. The residents said they have been appealing to their Member of Parliament, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds since October 2021, asking him to have the situation rectified. However, their cries appear to have fallen on deaf ears. They said the same goes for the Health Minister as well.