Mandingo Road residents protest bad roads

Residents of Mandingo Road, Princes Town, blocked the roads in the area in protest of the dilapidated road conditions that have been existing for over 15 years.

Kapil Maharaj who has been living in the area for the past 30 years told Newsday that the last time the roads were fixed was in 1983 and since then the residents have been neglected by all past administrations. “They come and measure the road about three times just before the local government elections of this year. But that is all that they are doing. The government cannot fool the people of this area,” he said angrily. “The main leaks in the area have remained unattended for many years despite the complaints by villagers. The issue of underground leaks is causing the land to slip and roads to cave away,” he explained. Maharaj also said that while the population of the village has doubled over the past 30 years, the roads and infrastructure remain the same. He noted that the government has ignored the maintenance of the roads.

Another resident Kishore Beepat who plies his taxi for hire says that the cost of fixing cars is rising every day, but the roads are not being developed in any way. He blamed the bad condition of the roads for the destruction of the vehicles. “I have no other source of income and all money is spent on car repair and I am left with little to maintain my family of four,” he said.  The Mandingo Road is located 3 miles off Princes Town and it branches off the St Croix Road. Most of the residents of this area earn an income from the sugar industry. A large percentage of workers were Caroni workers. Who have since accepted VSEP. However, many have already started to till the fields for the planting of vegetables.