Bayshore residents up in arms against fete promoters

RESIDENTS of the Bayshore community in West Trinidad are upset with several fete promoters and the Police  Traffic Branch in the wake of the weekend pile-up of traffic, with cars driving through the quiet residential areas all hours of the night and early morning. “Cars were parked on my lawn and this Saturday, people were driving up and down here until three in the morning,” an angry resident said. Soca artiste Machel Montano headlined the Alternative Concept 3 concert at Pier 2, Chaguaramas, which had traffic backed up all the way to Cocorite. There were also fetes at Pier 1, and Mobs2, in the Chaguaramas area. “These people even looking as if they are all from Laventille. They were driving on my lawn, they were rowdy, unpeaceful and uncaring,” the resident cried.

The Bayshore resident said a car even drove into his wall, knocking over his plants. “There were three lanes in this one lane street, I would like to see someone to answer for this.” The residents are also worried that another party carded for February 6 would disturb the peace yet again. The 54 residents signed a petition requesting that the “Discover Atlantis” fete on Carnival Saturday be stopped. The residents wrote to lawyers, sponsors of the fete, MP for the area Dr Keith Rowley and the owners of the property where the fete is to be held. “I want the EMA, the Lands and Survey and everyone to assist us,” the resident added. Residents maintain that there are elderly citizens living in the community, and it is a private neighbourhood and not a place for “those kinds of people.”

Another female resident, who refused to give her name for fear of victimisation, said she literally went out of her way to stop the fete. Another neighbour said that last year’s Old Year’s Night fete was the worst, and they wanted the bacchanal stopped as one resident was murdered soon after. “The police kept telling us they coming, they coming, or they can’t get through the traffic!” ACP Hosein of Mobile Traffic Division told Newsday that he did not organise any fete, and did not wish to comment, and that West End Division Police were responsible for the matter. West End Police did not wish to comment on the matter.

Promoter Roy Maraj of the Alternative Concept was unavailable for comment with regards to the traffic, and  “he was having his day off after the fete.” A licence officer at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court said that when a fete was held, it was the responsibility of the promoter to see about traffic issues, even though police officers and fire services were paid for their assistance that night. EMA officers said that promoters could hold a party as long as they did not break any noise zoning laws, in which case the police would tell them to keep the noise at a minimum.