Man Blocks Traffic with Tractor for Rent Owed to Him by the Government

Man blocked traffic with tractor for rent owed to him by the government. Clifton “Dense” Shillingford, CEO of Macoucherie Estate Limited, used his tractor to block vehicles from passing over a bridge that detoured through his property. Shillingford said the government owes him eight months rent and the debt must be paid.

Vehicles use the 100-year-old bridge that passes through Shillingford’s Macoucherie estate since Tropical Erika destroyed the Macoucherie bridge in 2015. A Bailey bridge was constructed but this got damaged again by Hurricane Maria in 2017. A Chinese company was contracted to reconstruct the bridge but it remained under-construction for the past two years without a particular date for completion.

With two bridges out, motorists made use of the bridge that passed through Shillingford’s estate. But in a one-man protest for the debt owed him, he blocked the bridge with his tractor, causing traffic disruption along the north and south of the Macoucherie River, and general discontent among motorists.   

Minister for Public Works, Collin McIntyre, confirmed via a phone call that the government owes Shillingford and promised that the debt will be cleared. Shillingford agreed to reopen the bridge to facilitate vehicular traffic but warned of blocking the bridge again if the rent is not paid up in time. He has since moved his tractor after the government seemed to reach an agreement with him.

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