Residents of Beetham staged a fiery protest demonstration early this morning, protesting a sewerage problem in the area.
According to residents, raw sewage currently is flowing in the road because of broken sewerage infrastructure in the area, which poses a serious health hazard.
Residents blocked the east and westbound lanes of the Beetham Highway, as well as the Priority Bus Route this morning, causing gridlock traffic for more than an hour.
Police officers were forced to divert traffic at the Civilian Conservation Corp. compound onto the Priority Bus Route and then onto the Eastern Main Road, while the debris was being cleared by officers from the Fire Service, as well as the Police Service.
The residents told Guardian Media they have been appealing to their Member of Parliament, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds MP, since October 2021, asking him to have the situation rectified. However, their cries appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Residents say they intend to carry out "a citizens' arrest" of their MP as well as the Prime Minister, in order to get their sewerage problem solved.
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With reporting by OTTO CARRINGTON, ROSEMARIE SANT and ANISTO ALVES
