Water protest threatens Borough celebrations

RESIDENTS of Union Village, La Brea, threatened to upset the Point Fortin Borough celebrations to protest a lack of water in their community.

At around 3:30 am yesterday, just over 40 villagers placed old appliances and other debris on the Southern Main Road at the corner of Union Village Junction, the main thoroughfare to and from Point Fortin. Roadblocks were erected at different areas of the Main Road, 100 yards apart, holding up traffic for more than an hour. Officers from the La Brea Police Station headed by Ag Insp Bharath and Sgt Harrienarine-singh reached the scene at around 6 am and dispersed the crowd and removed the debris from the roadway. No one was arrested.

However, villagers swore to continue the protest later in the evening and said it would be halted only if they receive an adequate supply of water. They warned that if they did not get water, their protests would severely affect weekend Borough celebrations in Point Fortin. One resident, Joseph Gannes, 28, related that in December 2002 residents of Union Village filled out forms and each paid a $250 connection fee to WASA. All residents had standpipes constructed in their yards. However, for the last three months, the 120 households in the village have had no pipe-borne water.

Gannes said complaints to the Gonzales WASA Station have been referred to San Fernando and vice versa. He said WASA hardly ever fills the two 1,000-gallon tanks in the area and villagers are forced to pay up to $120 for two tanks of water. WASA officials promised to supply water to the villagers before the end of the day.