The rural village of Matelot, on the northeast coast of Trinidad, is known as the end of the road, its breathtaking scenery, crystal-clear rivers, nutmeg plantations, skilled fisherfolk and affable people.

The community has built a life for themselves on the country’s edge where the river meets the sea and, for the most part, they have very few complaints.

Villagers have protested about the condition of the roads many times over the years. The bridge at the centre of their latest plea is the Marcel bridge, which connects the St Helena and Matelot villages.

“Matelot is the perfect place to raise a family,” said one mother, who requested anonymity, She has lived in the area her entire life.

But she and many others have a long way to go to access basic amenities and to get to and from their jobs, a task made even more difficult by the deteriorating roads and bridges that connect the village to the nearest major town, Sangre Grande, located 72 kilometres away.

Sunday Newsday visited the area, where resident John Lewis who explained the issues villagers live with.

“For too long the people of Matelot have been loyal to the PNM, and we want to know if they don’t have that loyalty for the people here to do the right thing. And it is simple things we’re asking for – roads and transportation,” he said.

Lewis showed the bridge and explained it is one of numerous projects that need urgent attention.

“Only CEPEP working for us. Thank God we have them here, so you can at least see the edge of the road properly.”

But he said the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) is only responsible for clearing heavy vegetation, but the drains in the area need to be properly cleaned.

“Just above the road by me there is a main drain. I cut the bush myself to keep it clean.”

He said the Marcel bridge, which has wooden planks supported by steel beams, both of which are rotting, has been falling apart for years, but in the past six months has become a great concern.

[caption id="attachment_927982" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A driver passes an eroded portion of the roadway in Matelot. - PHOTO BY AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]

“This has been going on for a long time,” he said. “Before when this bridge was in a bad state, it was the villagers who took little pieces of wood to fix it, until one night a car end up inside the bridge.”

He said while the car was passing, the rotting wood gave way under its weight, leaving a hole in which one of the tyres got stuck.

“The police came and closed the bridge and people were not able to pass on it.”

As this is the only access point to the village, when this happens, the entire village is cut off.

There are several other problem areas along the widing narrow road leading to the community, home to roughly 500 residents, that have been neglected.

The village is accessed via the Paria and Toco Main roads where Sunday Newsday observed some ongoin