By Alicia Chamely
MORE than 20 fetes are set to take place on the Western Peninsula, from the West Park Savannah straight across to the Chaquacabana Resort over Carnival weekend.
The number of events scheduled for the area has caused grave concern for residents and businesses, especially after last Saturday’s Stink+Dutty fete, held at the Chaguaramas Heliport.
With only one road leading in and out of Chaguaramas, patrons and residents spent hours in traffic trying to enter and leave the peninsula.
Stink+Dutty, which was historically held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, was relocated to Chaguaramas after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar banned fetes from taking place at public sporting and recreational facilities. As a result, many fetes moved to the Western Peninsula, especially Chaguaramas, which was already plagued by traffic issues.
After Stink+Dutty, as well as other smaller fetes and boat parties docking in the area, business owners in Carenage debated whether to close for the week, citing road congestion that was deterring customers.
AZP News contacted the Member of Parliament for Diego Martin West, Hans De Vignes, to ask whether any concessions had been made to improve traffic flow in and out of the west.
De Vignes said he had no control over traffic and had not been notified by any governing body about traffic and safety measures for the Carnival weekend.
He said: “Neither I nor residents have been informed of any new or additional traffic arrangements to accommodate the expected influx of people.
“As you know, I continue to advocate for all my constituents. Unfortunately, preparations, including traffic plans, lie within the remit of the current government ministers.”
Meanwhile, tenants of The Falls at West Mall received a memo from management on Wednesday regarding the closure of Ocean Boulevard, where the mall’s eastern entrance is located.
The memo said Ocean Boulevard would be closed due to “the heavy traffic flow into the residential area of South Westmoorings.”
Ocean Boulevard, which can be accessed from the Western Main Road, will remain closed until February 18.
The closure affected not only the mall, but also residents of Westmoorings South East and patrons of MASSY Stores West Mall, located parallel to The Falls.
Residents have complained about traffic stemming from the sudden influx of fetes on the peninsula and their close proximity to residential areas.
On his Facebook page on Monday, Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Edward Alexander highlighted the location of the B.O.Y.C.O.T.T Cooler Fete, which was held on the grounds of St Anthony’s College, situated between two residential neighbourhoods—Westmoorings North and Goodwood Gardens.
Alexander chastised the event promoters, the school and the Environmental Management Authority for allowing such a large fete to be held in a residential area.
In a follow-up post, Alexander said he intended to file an injunction to stop the fete but chose not to after a promoter explained how much had been spent and organised.
He said, however, that he had spoken with the traffic branch of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, which assured him wreckers would be “out in full force in Westmoorings and environs to remove illegally parked vehicles.”
Calls and messages sent to Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro to find out whether any traffic plans had been put in place were not returned as of publication.
No traffic notices had been posted on the TTPS social media pages addressing the expected influx of vehicular traffic into the area.
Fetes on the Western Peninsula between January 24 and February 18, as shared in various residential WhatsApp groups and confirmed via socanews.com:
