The fate of the famous rubber trees that line the Philbert Pierre Avenue roadway in Mabaruma, in Region One, are in the hands of the town’s residents, who will decide by way of a survey if the trees will be removed to facilitate the expansion of the road.
The proposal to cut down all the trees to facilitate the expansion was revealed during a consultation meeting held between residents and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure project engineer several weeks ago. However, according to the Mayor of Mabaruma Chris Phang, only a “handful” of residents were present at the consultation.
Before that consultation, he added, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) had already made the decision to cut down the trees without consulting the town’s council. “We only heard about the decision. We weren’t involved in the decision making,” he further added before saying that after receiving backlash from some of the town’s residents who opposed the decision, a consultation was held and the few residents who attended the consultation agreed with the RDC and proposed that they replant the rubber-trees at another location.