THE blistering sun and sweltering heat got the better of local civil rights leader Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj last Friday, the first day and the first leg of the historic Cedros to Port of Spain walk.

Sources told TnT Mirror the former attorney general was forced to cut short his walk from Cedros to Cap de Ville Junction by more than a mile after reportedly complaining about the heat.

“He spoke to us,” said one protestor, “he said he could go no further and so we pulled up at the Chatham camp where the march was called off for the rest of the day.”

He told Mirror that this has been the story of the “Walk from Cedros to Port of Spain” despite walking for the last eight days marching through the streets of Trinidad.

“Miles and miles have been taken off the walk,” he said, adding it was evident that Maharaj was a leader by example.

A tired RAMESH LAWRENCE MAHARAJ
(arrowed) leads his band.

A handful of supporters brave the rain for the
historic march.

“Ramesh doesn’t want us to walk without him and that’s why he prefers that the walk stop than it been said that he’s not present and that we alone are walking.”

On Saturday, the small group took up where they left off, this time assembling at Cap de Ville Junction (heading to Three Hands, La Brea) from where Maharaj once again led his band of faithful soldiers who are protesting the building of the Chatham smelter plant, the relocation of National Housing Authority (NHA) tenants from their East Port of Spain homes and several other social problems.

The faithful protestor told Mirror the journey so far has not been an easy one.

“The walk is not easy and most of our supporters have not been joining us because the walk is challenging,” he said.

“Look it affecting Ramesh, but as leader he has to walk although now and again he will take a ride, but he tired,” he added.

“The people are supporting us as we go along but they not coming to walk.

“Is like Trini ’fraid to walk, they also ’fraid sun and rain and they will talk a lot, but not prepared for the sacrifice.”

He told Mirror on Saturday the group had planned to stop at Vance River instead of Three Hands, La Brea.
“But we couldn’t do it again,” he said, “there was a small group of pro-smelter protestors waiting there for us so we had to carry through.

“He said it continues to be tough on them.

“And that’s why you will find that the itinerary has changed so much,” he added.

The walk ends today Friday with a mass rally at Woodford Square, Port of Spain.