A fatal crash in Penal has left a community in mourning and sparked fresh concerns about the state of ageing infrastructure in the area.
Twenty-nine-year-old Kalisa Danclair, a store manager from Siparia, lost her life after her car plunged into the Oropouche River on Monday night.
Police say around 9pm, Ms. Danclair was driving south along Debe Trace when her vehicle crashed into a deteriorating steel barrier near Rahamut Trace, opposite the Lord Shiva Mandir.
The vehicle reportedly broke through the barrier and became submerged in the river. Despite swift action from residents, fire officers, and the Hunters Search and Rescue Team, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure has since extended condolences to her family and acknowledged that a modern bridge, built nearby under the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project, remains inaccessible due to incomplete highway works.
The Ministry noted that this tragedy underscores the urgent need to complete critical infrastructure, improve road safety, and ensure that communities are better protected.