Kublalsingh was arrested and taken to the San Fernando police station. However local media reports say he was later released without any charges being laid.
Kublalsingh has been leading a pressure group known as Highway Re-Route Committee in a bid to force the government to change the route of the highway to Point Fortin. The group set up a camp in Debe recently to bock any work on the section from Mon Desir to Debe.
They claim that the route of the highway would cause severe environment damage and social displacement to a community that has lived there for generations. The government stopped work on that section in an effort to conduct studies to see if it is feasible to change the route. However the protest continued.
On Wednesday morning police and army moved to shut down the camp. The camp was destroyed and there is now a strong security presence there.
Warner, the former works minister who now holds the National Security portfolio, held a news conference to explain what happened.
The minister said, "Kublalsingh arrived and he tried to run his motor vehicle into an army truck. He did not succeed because there was a mound of earth that prevented him.
"Then he came out of his vehicle and rushed at the soldiers, and he slapped one of them. They did not retaliate. They held him, they wrestled with him and he finally was taken down to San Fernando Police Station.
"So as it stands today, the camp has been demolished. An army camp will be on the spot and the army camp shall move as fast and as often as the contractors want to move.
"The army camp shall also make sure that any other facility of the kind that any effort is made to erect one subsequent to today that shall also be demolished. And there shall be no more attempts of any kind to erect any camp along the right of way of the Highway."
Dr. Kublalsingh told another story. Local media quoted him as saying Warner's account is not accurate. "I didn't slap anybody at all," he said.
Dr. Kublalsingh told another story. Local media quoted him as saying Warner's account is not accurate. "I didn't slap anybody at all," he said.
He added, "I came into the camp and I resisted attempts from the army officers to remove me. That is what happened. I came again and I resisted attempts again from them to remove me. I put my car in front of the camp, I didn't hit
anything. I am looking at my car, there are no damages."
Former Attorney general Ramesh lawrence Maharaj has criticised the move. He told reporters the authorities did not follow the proper procedure.
"The law makes it clear under the State Lands Act of Trinidad and Tobago that if there is anyone squatting on State lands and they have been there for a while that the Government has a duty to serve them a notice and the Government has to take steps to take action in the Magistrate's Court to get possession," Maharaj said.
Kublalsingh's allies in the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) and the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) also condemned the move.
MSJ leader David Abdulah said he fears that Trinidad & Tobago is becoming a police state and called for the resignation of the national security minister.
"The Defence Force ought not to...take instructions from a politician. Police officers are not under the instruction of a politician...we are in very dangerous situation of a Police State," he said.
Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday shares that view. Speaking on a national television show Wednesday night Panday said Warner appeared to be directing the police action and that is a violation of the rights of the protesters. He said due process of law was not followed.
anything. I am looking at my car, there are no damages."
Former Attorney general Ramesh lawrence Maharaj has criticised the move. He told reporters the authorities did not follow the proper procedure.
"The law makes it clear under the State Lands Act of Trinidad and Tobago that if there is anyone squatting on State lands and they have been there for a while that the Government has a duty to serve them a notice and the Government has to take steps to take action in the Magistrate's Court to get possession," Maharaj said.
Kublalsingh's allies in the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) and the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) also condemned the move.
MSJ leader David Abdulah said he fears that Trinidad & Tobago is becoming a police state and called for the resignation of the national security minister.
"The Defence Force ought not to...take instructions from a politician. Police officers are not under the instruction of a politician...we are in very dangerous situation of a Police State," he said.
Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday shares that view. Speaking on a national television show Wednesday night Panday said Warner appeared to be directing the police action and that is a violation of the rights of the protesters. He said due process of law was not followed.
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