Hundreds of workers marooned in massive road blocks in South

At the start of the new school term, hundreds of workers and school children were forced to return to their homes yesterday following the massive road blocks in the Southern districts of Mandingo Road, Princes Town; Papourie Road, Barrackpore and St Croix Road. Members of the Barrackpore Taxi Drivers’ Association (BTDA) came out during the night to block the road as they protested for better road conditions in these areas. As early as 5 am, commuters were forced to return to their homes. President of the BTDA, David Balkaran, shouted to the media saying that they are fed up with the neglect from the PNM administration and they need action now. “We have been enduring pain and pressure for too long and we need the Government to look into this matter urgently. “Taxi drivers have to live too. The money they make from working taxi is going back into fixing vehicles and we cannot put up with this suffering anymore,” he shouted. Many joined in as they protested the deplorable road conditions.

Drivers and villagers carried placards with the slogan: “Total disgust with Franklyn Khan”. They used water tanks, huge tree trunks as well as tyres which were set afire. This blockage made it impossible for drivers to get into the Princes Town area. Many of the drivers choose to journey 10 miles down the Moruga stretch through the Cumuto Road and onto the Indian Walk Road to get to work.Balkaran told Newsday that the roads in these southern areas were not repaired since 1974. “Although there is an increase in the amount of vehicles plying this route, including the heavy trucks transporting heavy materials, the Government refuses to fix these roads, and the people continue to suffer year after year,” he said. Balliram Mahatoo said that while Government chooses to spend the taxpayers’ money to build houses in the marginal constituencies, the people from the Southern areas are made to suffer. “This is total discrimination on the part of this government and we want Franklyn Khan to know that people put him in office and the same people could vote him out,” he said in an angry tone.