Police use teargas in an attempt to disperse the crowd of protestors. Photo: Kreig Harris FB

Early Wednesday morning members of the Tipper Truckers Association used their dump trucks and trailer trucks to block the highway leading to the capital in the area of Canefield.

Commuters to work and school had to turn back due to the blocked traffic.

Skerrit reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the concerns of truckers as he recognises the importance of their role in the project, the statement read.

The prime minister indicated that “a consensus was reached to revise the rates for trucking services on the international airport project.”

“The Government of Dominica remains committed to transparency and open communication with truckers and other stakeholders involved in national construction projects, ensuring opportunities for local engagement,” the statement said further.

Meantime, speaking to local media earlier on Wednesday, trucker Everson Magloire said: “We are hoping that some common sense will prevail. Our position still remains the same. We really would want to have guarantees that every time there is a project on island that we have some form of say in it.”

Some truckers say they want at least 80 per cent of the work created by government.

In an attempt to halt the protest action, police officers dressed in riot gear used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

A Canefield woman and her seven children were affected when canisters of teargas fell in her yard and engulfed her home.

“We have seven young children under the age of 12, a baby just a year old experiencing this kind of thing. It has been very bad,” she told reporters.

Meanwhile, one of the truckers who had been arrested earlier was reportedly charged for assault and released on station bail. He is set to appear in court on Thursday.

Protesters say action will continue until they are satisfied that their demands have been met.