The destruction of a barricade at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), which prevented container and heavy-duty trucks and other large vehicles from entering the industrial site through the residential area, is causing much worry for residents.
Residents of the community have reached out to Guyana Times, pointing out that having waited for years for their roads to be properly fixed, they are fearful that the traversing of heavy-duty trucks will destroy the infrastructure.
The destroyed overhead barricade which previously prevented large vehicles from entering the residential access road
The barricade was placed at the beginning of the industrial site so as to prevent heavy-duty vehicles from using the residential area’s roads.
“It is not a case where the Eccles residential road is the only access to the industrial site. There is a dedicated road for these trucks. However, they purposefully knocked down the barrier so as to use this particular road, because it’s a shorter distance for them,” an annoyed resident said.
The industrial site is accessed through the Eccles, EBD access road leading to the Haags Bosch landfill.
According to residents, since the overhead barricade was broken, no measures were put in place by the Ramsburg-Eccles Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), to prevent the container trucks from using the residential roads, rather than the industrial one which is allocated for large vehicles.
For the past eight weeks since the barricade broke, these trucks have been seen traversing the newly-built roads, especially in the wee hours of the morning.
Residents reiterated that they have waited for years to have their roads properly fixed and it would be unfair to have them in a deplorable state again because of unscrupulous truck drivers.
Two heavy-duty trucks using the residential road to gain access to the industrial site
When this publication contacted the Ramsburg-Eccles NDC, the overseer Ryan Singh indicated that the Council was working with the company, whose driver broke the overhead barricade.
However, “inclement weather conditions” during the past two months proved a hindrance for the workers who were tasked with fixing the barricade.
“We went to fix it, but every time we go, we couldn’t because the rain was falling. The man can’t do the welding in the rain, so they had to come back,” Singh stated.
However, residents in the area are calling on the NDC to have the barricade fixed as soon as possible, saying that rain was not an excuse for such a long delay.
