A contentious incident involving Housing Ministry Minister Phillip Alexander has ignited nationwide discourse on disability rights and legal accountability after he was photographed occupying a reserved parking space for persons with disabilities at a Maraval SuperPharm on March 15. The images, disseminated on social media by former minister Randall Mitchell, prompted immediate public criticism and official responses from advocacy groups.
Minister Alexander defended his actions by citing parking shortages caused by a nearby food court and claiming authorization from a security guard—an individual allegedly cropped from the circulated photograph. This justification was met with skepticism from disability advocates and law enforcement representatives.
Kahaya Tuckerin, principal of the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), emphasized in a Wednesday interview that reserved parking spaces must be respected regardless of circumstances. “There should always be empathy whether the security guard gave the green light to park there or not,” she stated, highlighting that disabilities may be either visible or invisible and that proper permits displayed on dashboards are required for legal access. Tuckerin reinforced the organization’s advocacy message: “We always appeal to people to ‘see the ability, not the disability.’”
The Estate Police Association (EPA) issued a strongly worded statement on Thursday expressing “serious concern” over the incident without directly naming Alexander. The association condemned the suggestion that security personnel could legally authorize parking in designated disabled spaces, calling such notions “troubling” and emphasizing that these spaces represent legal protections rather than privileges.
EPA President Deryck Richardson underscored that no public official holds authority to circumvent national laws for personal convenience. The association highlighted the precarious position of security officers who may face pressure from powerful individuals to facilitate unlawful actions, warning that officers complying with such requests risk disciplinary consequences while those issuing directives often evade accountability.
The association reminded all security personnel that their uniforms “represent the rule of law, not the will of any individual” and urged adherence to legal duties and professional standards. Public office holders were reminded that leadership requires exemplary conduct and that Trinidad and Tobago’s laws apply equally to all citizens.
Current regulations stipulate a $2,000 fine for illegal use of disabled parking spaces, though the demerit points system previously associated with this violation has been abolished by the current administration.