Fiery protest in Barrackpore; schoolchildren stranded

Residents were virtually marooned in their homes amidst burning debris and black smoke, as hundreds of them spilled onto the roadway.

It was from early as 4 am when the residents blocked the roads at 60 locations from Esparanza Village to the No 2 scale, Barrackpore.

Tyres, derelicts, tree branches and tree trunks were set alight in what police described as a planned and well orchestrated protest action.

Motorists were greeted by an angry mob at the main venue — Rochard Douglas Road. The protesters jeered and shouted slogans.

Schoolchildren attending the Barrackpore Senior and Junior Secondary schools and the Islamic Primary School in the district, were forced to remain home. Many of them in their new uniforms and bookbags remained in taxis as they looked on in horror at the blazing debris and plumes of smoke.

Several schools in the area were forced to remain closed.

Many more were unable to travel from Barrackpore to attend schools in San Fernando, Marabella and Princes Town.

As the protest intensified, some schoolchildren joined in the demonstration, which was staged due to poor road conditions, according to the maxi and taxi drivers.

Several supermarkets, gas staions and pharmacies remained closed yesterday morning.

The protest turned nasty when police officers of the Crime Supression Unit confronted the prostesting residents. One man was arrested and taken away during a confrontation when the heavily armed officers pushed and shoved the men and women from the middle of the road.

Vowing to continue the protest until the roads were paved, the residents who were accompained by schoolchildren shouted, “All hell go break loose....if dey doh pave we road.”

Their placards read, “We want the roads pave now,” “Where are you Works and Transport Minister, Colm Imbert?”

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Member of Parliament for Naparima, Nizam Baksh, said that the residents were fed up of the years of neglect of the Barrackpore community.

Baksh said he wrote letters to Imbert inviting the minister to tour the area but he got no response.

“The residents have begun to vent their frustration, they are fed up of promises and have decided to act out,” Baksh said.

Baksh said that apart from the deplorable roads, the residents were also protesting the poor facilities in the area. He said there was a shortage of staff at the Lengua and Roachard Douglas Health Centres, and the police station was in need of an additional supply of vehicles.

Baksh also added that the residents were concerned that two schools in the area — Monkey Town Government Primary School and the Lengua Presbyterian Primary School — had remained closed for over the last two years.

“The residents believe they have been neglected for too long. They have vowed to keep up the protest until they get results...The situation is very, very unfortunate,” Baksh said.