RADHICA DE SILVA
radhica.sookraj@giardian.co.tt
After four hours of gridlocked traffic, police have finally cleared the northbound carriageway of the Solomon Hochoy Highway.
But the scrap iron workers say their protest will continue to escalate unless the government meets with them.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley responded to the traffic chaos condemning the UNC and the trade unionists for supporting the scrap iron workers in their efforts to shut down the country.
Referring to protesters as a "marauding gang of metal thieves", the Prime Minister also condemned OWTU President Ancel Roget for supporting the shutdown.
Following the 4 am blockade, the traffic had backed up from Claxton Bay to Corinth Flyover with hundreds trapped in a gridlock.
Defending the protest, spokesman Jamal Bruce said the authorities had not given them a fair hearing.
He said the protest will continue until they had a meeting with the Prime Minister. The Claxton Bay scrap iron men have distanced themselves from the TT Scrap Iron Association, which they said was politically aligned.
"All we want is for people to understand what we feeling. Yes, people inconvenienced but we inconvenienced too. What about we? Anybody studying we?" he asked.
Another protester Kayshawn Perry said the entire community of Claxton Bay was suffering.
He reiterated that scrap workers could not buy books, uniforms and food for their families.
Told about the grants which the Minister of Social Development Donna Cox had offered to scrap iron workers, they said they did not want handouts but a chance to earn an honest dollar.
"We want you to feel our pain, and understand how we feel," De Four added.
The scrap iron workers say more protests will be held this week until the industry is reopened.
The exportation of scrap metal was banned on August 12, and will continue until February next year.