Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 03, 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
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
×