Truckers halt seaside boulevard, demand access, no detour

Santo Domingo.- Dozensof dump trucks full of sand were parked along the southern lane on the Malecon,backing up traffic in all directions for several kilometers, forcing traffic copsto detour it to Independence Av., and the ensuing chaos.

The truckers say theEnvironment Ministry and the traffic police mistreat them, and are stopped atany time.

The drivers grouped inthe Heavy Load Truckers Association (Asocaibe) said they ply the Haina-SanPedro de Macoris route and use the Malecon because of the constant traffic jamson the Maximo Gomez Av. and 27 de Febrero detour.

"We are hereholding a picket, drawing the attention of the authorities so that we arepermitted to travel the Malecon all the way to San Pedro, but we detour fromthe February 27, imagine with these jams that we encounter. We cannot movearound the Beltway that goes from Santo Domingo to Haina and to the EasternCorridor in Boca Chica, because that section is only finished to Villa Mella,"said union president Ramon Tavarez.

Meanwhile Environment minister Bautista Rojas sent forTavarez and a commission of truckers to find a solution to their demand.