Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

Frustrated residents stage fiery protest in T&T's Barrackpore

Frustrated residents stage fiery protest in T&T's Barrackpore

Fiery protests paralysed school and business activity in Barrackpore as residents blocked five main access routes into the area with burning debris.
Tyres, barrels and wooden crates were heaped on roads and set ablaze from as early as 5 a.m. Protesters stood with placards and called for the resolution of multiple issues they say are in dire need of redress while the Fire Service and the police attempted to restore order.

Protesters told reporters that action will continue in the weeks ahead if the area’s poor roads, unreliable water supply and farming issues do not get a response from relevant authorities.

Apart from growing potholes and uneven roads, they said several areas have been deprived of pipe-borne water for months.

They said some farmers were owed funds from the Ministry of Agriculture and agricultural roads needed repairs.

They called on the Ministers of Works and Transport, Agriculture and Public Utilities to visit and address their concerns.

“The Government has done nothing to repair this road. Six years in a year Kanhai Road has had issues with the water supply (and) people have to live down here. If they come to put out a fire, they have nothing to connect it to. All you’re hearing is taxes, taxes, taxes and we are getting nothing in return. A year-and-a-half people down here have not been working. People are suffering, and we are fed up. In Barrackpore people have reached their breaking point,” said one resident.

He added: “I think the people want to see the Minister of Works and Transport down here so we can get these issues addressed. The road is deplorable, and the car is rocking like a road when you go in it. It is too bad for us to repair on our own. So much money being spent annually and what is happening here? The only time you see the Prime Minister down here is to turn the pot during election, you are not seeing none of them after.”

Another resident, who did not want to be identified by name, said, “What we want is what is due to us, the people should come and see the road in Barrackpore and all over the countryside. The people are calling on the Prime Minister to pay money to the people they have outstanding money for and to pave the roads. Do something better, man.”

MP for the area Michelle Benjamin, who was present at the protest, said she was on her way out of the area when she was alerted to the protests and joined in solidarity.

Among the blocked-off areas were Kanhai Junction, Cunjal and Cumuto Road with reports of protests in Indian Walk and Hindustan, she said.

“I was on my way to Port of Spain when I got a call that my constituents were protesting on the roads, farming issues, access roads and produce. This morning I came to stand with them and, believe me, we are calling to the Minister of Works to hear the concerns and address the people of Moruga/Tableland.

“This morning is concerning water, the state of the road. Right now people are losing finance because they have to pay for repairs on a weekly basis. We are asking for the Minister of Works to visit the area and answer the roads and the Minister of Agriculture to address the issues of farmers. This is their choice and I will stand with my citizens as this is a genuine complaint,” said Benjamin.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
×