The samaan tree located at Aranguez Estate is 185 years old. It is a historic community landmark. However, many residents are now calling for the tree to be cut down, saying that it poses a serious hazard. The tree stands in a small playing field along Coronation Street, Aranguez, and shades a temple belonging to Hindu group Swaha. Last year, the same samaan tree made national headlines when scores of angry residents staged a protest, confronting employees of Cascadoux Enterprises–the company contracted to cut down the tree. Police had to be called to the area, but in the end the tree was saved.
When the Guardian visited the site yesterday, an entire branch of the tree had fallen, and residents said it had been lying on the ground since early Thursday morning. Ramlal Ramlochan, 83, said he was very fond of the tree as he had climbed it as a boy while playing with friends in the park. However, he said the time had come for the tree to be cut down to prevent any accidents or mishaps. "That branch fall off since Thursday around 4 am and it's a lucky thing nobody was around, or else it they could have got hurt if it did fall on them," he lamented. "It should cut...That tree go kill people!"
Echoing similar sentiments, Mandol Ali said residents should let good sense prevail and cut down the tree. "It's very dangerous...People park their cars and come and lime here, suppose it fall on somebody car? What will happen then?" he asked. Meanwhile, resident Sookram Balroop, 50, had a different view. Adamant that the tree should not be cut down, as it was a historical landmark, he said: "People round here cherish the tree. That tree more than 180 years old. You can't just cut it down." However, Balroop said he was calling on the police or the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation to properly dispose of the fallen branch, which he said could cause further damage to the tree. Efforts to contact Member of Parliament for the area, Kennedy Swaratsingh, for comment proved futile.
