RESIDENTS BLOCK ROADS

The villagers complained that dust from a nearby quarry had taken a toll on their children’s health. From as early as 7 am, scores of residents blocked the Guaracara/Quarry Road, with old tyres, scrapped cars and tree branches. They then set these alight.

Police officers attached to the Gasparillo Police Station, arrived promptly on the scene. Yesterday’s protest occurred following Monday’s massive demonstration in Barrackpore.

The road is frequented by scores of trucks in and out of three quarries.

Yesterday, truck drivers were forced to park their vehicles at the side of the road when residents formed a human blocade across Quarry Road. When the truck drivers revved their engines, the residents set ablaze rubbish and other debris on the road. They chanted: “No road, No boulders.” Some of the placards read: “We want we road fix;” “We eatin dust, drinkin dust, sleepin dust.”

Truck driver, Michael Sewnath, who was fortunate to reach the quarry to have his truck loaded with boulders, was blocked from leaving.

“I came before the protest but by the time my truck got loaded with the boulders and I was going back out, I realised that the road was blocked,” Sewnath told Newsday. Sewnath admitted that the road was in dire need of repair.

Villager Ramdeo Sookraj, claimed that the road was deteriorating because of the trucks. “This road strong enough for small trucks to pass, not the ten- wheeler ones they have passing. It mashing up the road,” Sookraj said.

Councillor Henry Awong, who was on site yesterday, also acknowledged sheer disgust over the situation. “I commend the villagers for taking this stand because the road just getting worse and it is not being repaired,” Awong said.

The councillor said that several letters were written to the relevant governmental bodies informing them of the deplorable and worsening road condition. Awong also said that the dust problem had been reported to officials of the Environmental Management Agency.