A drive for progress organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Scrap Iron Dealers Association (TTSIDA) came to a screeching halt, as the motorcade from the Brian Lara cricket academy in Tarouba to the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain planned for today will not take place.
However, the association is already making plans to get back on track. Last month the organisation announced a motorcade in conjunction with other trade unions to highlight several issues facing citizens.
TTSIDA’s president Allan Ferguson had said the demonstration was necessary to bring into focus the hardships members of the public were grappling with.
“This rally is about that and so much more, people who are suffering can’t buy food, you getting raped, you getting killed, you can’t get drugs, a lot of things taking place in this country.”
During a press conference on Friday, Ferguson lamented that police approval was not obtained for today’s activity.
Ferguson said he intended to operate within the parameters of the law and called on citizens to continue rallying for change until the drive for progress is given the green light.
“All we trying to do is bring people together so we can be able to make a change in this country. A lot of people try already, a lot of people make the effort and all we saying is we would like to make a difference. I will never surrender, I will never surrender.”
Movement for Social Justice political leader David Abdulah pledged to work alongside law enforcement to ensure there are no future hurdles in the way of their demonstration.
“Once we sent another application in there would be another top-level meeting with organisers and the TTPS at the highest level to work out the arrangements for the motorcade so that it could take place. We understood from that conversation that the TTPS is not opposed to the motorcade.”
Abdulah maintained the unions were committed to highlighting the authorities’ failures in addressing the challenges citizens face on a daily basis.
Source Guardian