There was an anti-budget walk from Aranguez to Port of Spain on Friday 30th September, 2022 by members of the trade unions and other Non-Governmental Organisations.
• When the protest got into Port of Spain outside RBC around 12:40pm, there was an attempt by the police to shut down the music emanating from a truck but this was met with stiff resistance from leaders of the walk who said they had permission from the Acting Commissioner of Police to play music and use the loudspeakers until 1:30pm.
• Acting Snr. Supt. Roger Alexander, head of the Port of Spain Division, intervened and spoke with Michael Anisette and allowed the walk and music to continue towards the meeting point opposite the Financial Complex on Independence Square.
• Initially, the group had been given permission to end their walk outside the Parliament Building by 1:30pm, but this was changed after it was disclosed that Parliament would have been sitting from 10am.
• Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar kicked off the budget debate in the parliament which remains ongoing.
• At the assembly point, political activist Juliet Davy, clashed with protesters after she called on OWTU head, Ancel Roget to disclose what type of vehicles he drove, while Roget was speaking about expensive cars and SUVs purchased by Government Ministers who benefitted from hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax breaks.
The gates to Woodford Square next to the Parliament building were locked with chains and padlocks by the Port of Spain City Corporation in order to prevent anyone from gathering as Parliament sat.
