Truck Drivers Block Access to Mare-Chicose: Testimony from One of Them

Contract truck drivers gathered this Friday in front of the Mare-Chicose landfill site claim they have ceased their operations due to overdue payments, some dating back several years. Kenny Rajaratnam, one of the affected drivers, explains that multiple promises of payment were made by the company Sotravic, yet no actual payments have followed.

According to him, the transporters have also been instructed to stop transporting sewage, as the company has acquired its own trucks and put subcontractors on hold. He further laments the absence of Sotravic representatives at the site to provide explanations while access remains blocked by the protesters.

In a statement released this afternoon, the Ministry of Environment and Solid Waste Management indicated that it is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with the operator. Negotiations are ongoing between Sotravic/Strata and the truck drivers to allow operations to resume as soon as possible.

The ministry also specified that a complaint was filed at the Cent-Gaulettes police station due to the obstruction of access routes to the landfill center. The management contract for the site was awarded to the joint venture Sotravic/Strata on June 28, 2024.

Listen to the explanations from Kenny Rajaratnam, one of the affected drivers.