RESIDENTS of Triumph and the neighbouring village of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, are calling on the relevant authorities to move swiftly to fix the road and bridges in their communities.

On Saturday last, residents of Triumph spoke with this publication about the state of the road in their community, which they claimed was not done in over ten years, while those in Beterverwagting yesterday placed debris on the road and set it alight to protest the poor condition of the road.
One businessman said that from what he has gathered, having lived in the area and observed the state of the roads, especially in Triumph, one gets the impression that the village has no one living there.
The man, who asked that his name be withheld, explained that streets such as Surratt Drive, Kadoo Street, Market Street and Khan Street are among the worst in the Triumph area.
This publication was told that recently there have been some works which started on a street in the community, Dr. Miller Street, and the work of the contractor is not to the standard that residents believe it ought to be.
“These people don’t do anything for this community of Triumph anymore; Better Hope, Mon Repos and all the other areas are getting roads, but for Triumph is like no one lives here,” the man stressed.
He also spoke about the damage to vehicles while also lamenting the difficulty that pedestrians have when competing with the motorists for passable sections of the road.
The Chronicle was told that when there were any attempts to fix a road in the area, the remedies would only last for about six months before the disaster surfaces again.
Meanwhile, as the residents of Triumph called for their roads to be fixed, the residents of BV took a more drastic approach, bringing traffic in the community to a grinding halt as they burned tyres and other debris to make their concerns heard.
They also placed old fridges and branches along the road as they held their placards demanding attention by the relevant authorities.
***Photos saved in graphics folder as Leroy road protest
TAB 1: Debris that residents set alight in protest over poor road conditions in BV
TAB 2: Two vehicles stalled at the blocked road with placards plastered on their windscreens
TAB 5: One of the disgruntled residents speaking with the Guyana Chronicle

By Leroy Smith