Truck drivers who sell sand on the shoulders of the East Bank of Demerara public road, outside Industrial Site, have been forced to move their operations.
The drivers said a “No Parking for Lorries” sign was painted on the road, although they were not served with any official notice by authorities.
They explained that on Monday morning when they arrived to ply their trade, they were greeted with the sign. Since the sign was painted on the road, they noted that traffic ranks already issued them with warnings against parking in the area.
Efforts made to contact both the Mayor and City Council and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for a comment on the decision on the no parking sign were futile.
Approximately 50 truckers ply their trade along the roadway. One operator, Mohamed Ally, said they have been operating at the site in the vicinity of DSL Cash and Carry for the past two to three years.
Asked what could be a possible reason for the move to have them removed, Ally explained they do not break any law or pose a hindrance to users of the road. “Everybody does deh off the white line and everybody does deh off the road. We don’t interfere with traffic, and the big trucks take precautions because they know we does be out here. There was never any accident out here because of us,” he stressed.
Another operator, Abdul Khan, said “We does be out here someday and don’t make a sale.” He told this publication that removing them from the area would only cripple their businesses.
“It would affect us when we move because some of us still owe for the truck, we have our families and children to take care of and right now to be honest it is stiff for we. Some day you do business and some day you don’t and to move us would just cripple we,” Khan emphasised.
“The ministers collecting their fat salaries but we have to come out here and hustle every day for a two dollars… it would be a bad move to remove us from here,” added one of the operators.
“Police coming riding, riding, asking if we don’t see the no parking signs… just now they gon’ take us all to the station… whoever said for no parking here needs to reverse the decision or find a spot for us,” another one of the operators said.
According to the men, if they are to move any further up the East Bank it would be hard for them.
“People know this is where the trucks are parked but we still don’t do business every day. If they move us, I don’t know where they would put us… this would be the best place I believe,” Ally pointed out.
The drivers were previously situated along Lombard Street, in Georgetown but they said they were removed by police due to traffic congestion.
