By Sandra Chouthi

Special to Indo Caribbean World
Port-of-Spain – The government of Trinidad and Tobago was under attack yet again last week, this time for its decision to bulldoze crops at D'Abadie to make way for houses. Singled out for this latest public onslaught was Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, who came under fire at a time when food security and food prices are domestic and global issues.
The latest move that drew more flak on the People's Partnership government took place on the morning of April 25, Easter Monday. Bulldozers moved in and began grading down more than 40 acres of crops on farm land at Crescent Gardens, Mausica Road, D'Abadie.
The land was being cleared on the instructions from the Housing Development Corporation. It was a well-cultivated enterprise by four farmers. Among the crops were with sweet potatoes, pineapple, bodi, cassava, peas, corn and other vegetables. An astonished and bewildered farmer, Vinda Marajh, said they had not been served with notices to vacate the land.
Marajh and another farmer, Jason Kanic, immediately filed an injunction before Justice Vasheist Kokaram in the Port-of-Spain High Court, even as the bulldozing continued on April 25. An ex-parte injunction immediately stopped the HDC and any of its agents from further destruction of crops. It also restrained placing of equipment on the land. The farmers had been cultivating these lands since 1979.
Apart from the injunction, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar instructed that all bulldozing cease immediately. At the time she was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a team of business leaders attending the World Economic Forum on Latin America. She also called for consultation between Moonilal and Agriculture Minister Vasant Bharath, asking them to find a solution.
Last week Moonilal said from London, England, that it was "regrettable" the situation took the course it did and he was not present to respond immediately. He indicated he had spoken with Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath.
Then on April 27, Moonilal said the government would be proposing adequate compensation to the farmers and also seeking to have them relocated to more productive lands. He said he would make this proposal in a meeting with farmers or their representatives and that they "accompany us on a site visit." He added that the farmers also would have security of tenure if they agreed to move to an alternative location.
Land tenure and its legality have been among the issues the government has been dealing with recently. Just two weeks before the Easter Monday action, Agriculture Minister Bharath had maintained that squatting on State land was illegal. However, he noted that those who have occupied the State lands for several years, and where the plots were cultivated 75 percent and above, were encouraged to continue engaging in productive agriculture.
It seemed, though, that the right hand of the government was not in sync with the left hand that is the HDC. Immediately after this, Jearlean John, managing director of the HDC, said on April 26 that the letters she got from the Commissioner of State Lands showed that the farmers had been given "quit notices." The notices asked them to refrain from planting and to vacate the land.
Said John: "With respect to Pineapple Smith Lands, (the Commissioner) sent me a letter dated March 31, written as received by my office on April 9." She said this letter informed her that the farmers had been served quit notices.
John said that on September 11, 2008, it was agreed that the occupiers of the lands in D'Abadie would have to move to make way for the construction of more than 800 houses.
"So this has been going on since then," she noted.
On Easter Monday, the day the land was being bulldozed, several farmers protested in front the Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Affairs in St Ann's, and in front of the HDC's head office on South Quay, Port-of-Spain. The farmers claimed they were not informed of the decision to bulldoze the area.
The farmers are now demanding compensation at market value for their crops. They also want a certificate granting them the right to continue planting on the lands. Along with these demands, they are also calling for the removal of John from office.
There is some history to the bulldozed lands. On January 25, 2011, Moonilal told hundreds of supporters of the United National Congress and the People's Partnership that the government intended to build 800 homes off Mausica Road, D'Abadie, in an area known as Pineapple Smith Lands.
Moonilal made the announcement during celebrations at Rienzi Complex, Couva, on the first anniversary of Persad-Bissessar's election as political leader of the UNC. He said the sod would have been turned the following week for construction of 800 houses, at an estimated cost of (Can) $83 million.
The government's task now is to find the balance between the demand for housing and the need for not only food security, but to also keep down inflation in the prices for food.
Food prices have been the major driver of headline inflation, which stood at 10.7 percent at the end of March this year.
According to the Central Bank's March 2011 repo rate report, food inflation slowed to 25.1 percent in the last 12 months to February 2011, down from 30.9 per cent in the previous month.
The bulldozing of food crops on State land is but one of several challenges facing the People's Partnership government, whose one year anniversary in office will be on May 24, 2011.

Port-of-Spain - Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said last week that there is a land-grabbing crisis in the country.
"We are facing serious challenges throughout Trinidad on State land, where, with the change of government, many persons have gone onto State lands which were earmarked either for agriculture or housing and have been illegally in occupation and that has happened in another area such as in Fairfield Village, Broomage, Princes Town, where we have another 455 acres that have been selected for housing.
"We have to be very vigilant because it cannot be that persons in an unstructured way go onto lands and seize lands and prevent people from the need of shelter and homes," Moonilal said.
Last Monday, crops at Pineapple Smith lands, D'Abadie, and Egypt Trace, Chaguanas, were bulldozed by the Housing Development Corporation, sparking a week of protests by farmers who claimed that over 40 acres of crops were destroyed.
Moonilal maintained that, whilst the bulldozing of food crops was regrettable, the farmers must move from the State lands as the government intends to rev up its housing programme.
The farmers are arguing that the lands are arable and they should continue planting food crops at this location.
The farmers are hoping for further support with the intervention of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Moonilal said that some 450 acres of land at St Helena and other areas of the country have been identified for the farmers.
He added that the land which they are fighting for is not even the best for agricultural production.
"I have been touch with officials of the EMBD (Estate Management and Business Development Co), they are claiming that the site at D'Abadie and Egypt Trace are not grade one agricultural sites, so they are certainly not the best land for agriculture and I was told that they may be grade three or four and the lands that we are offering are grade one agricultural lands," Moonilal said.
He said security of tenure will be given to the farmers if they accept the government's offer to plant their crops on the best agricultural lands in other locations.
Moonilal also commented on aerial photographs taken by the HDC and the statement by HDC managing director Jearlean John that the farmers were seeking to inflate their claims of crop damage.
"I was shocked to see that it was a relatively small piece that was cleared and the other issue I was taken aback by is that adjacent to these lands are housing settlements…in particular I noticed that at D'Abadie there are a couple houses on the land so apparently the persons who have been in illegal occupation of the land have also built houses," he said.
"We now have a land grabbing crisis that if we do not deal with [this then it] threatens to overrun the entire island," said Moonilal.
He said officials from the Food Production Ministry will go out to the lands today to ascertain properly the crops that were destroyed.
Questioned on whether the government was setting the wrong precedent by compensating persons who have been illegally occupying lands, Moonilal said: "I have also been under attack by persons who have said we should not compensate, I have heard the criticism that the government should not be compensating what may have been an illegal activity. In fact one irate citizen spoke to me and told me that it is as if you are going to buy back jewelry that was stolen."
He said because of the regrettable action of the HDC where crops were destroyed it was agreed that the farmers will be compensated. However, he warned this may not be the case in the future.
"In the future maybe the State will look at reaping the crops ourselves rather than bulldozing," he said.
He added that the Food Production Ministry, together with the Planning Ministry, has been asked to speed up its work with respect to developing a proper land usage policy.

Port-of-Spain - There's "clearly" room for improvement in the Opposition PNM and the party needs to focus on its work concerning the national interest more, PNM executive member Mariano Browne said last week.
Browne and other executive PNM officials made the statement following comments by PNM chairman Franklin Khan about former leader Patrick Manning. Khan had alluded to Manning's "psychological state" and a possible "war" between Manning and leader Keith Rowley. Khan added the PNM was now open to joining other parties and the COP's policies were akin to PNM's.
Said Browne: "In a sense Mr Manning is immaterial. He had his day and the real issue PNM needs to focus on is that of governance and moving Trinidad and Tobago forward. Mr Khan allowed himself to be boxed in on the issue of Manning. There is clearly room for improvement in the party."
Browne added: "We need to make the best decisions in Trinidad and Tobago's interest and that's where our focus should lie at this point."
PNM deputy leader Orville London said: "I'm not prepared to allow any discussion on Mr Manning or any other individual to keep me from pursuing the major objective which is to do some serious introspection, serious planning and serious work to take advantage of the numerous opportunities made available."
PNM deputy leader Rohan Sinanan, who supported opening up PNM to other parties, said the party was not split. He was confident its founding principles would see it through the current transitional period. Sinanan added: "I listened to Mr Manning's contribution in the House on his motion and it was excellent. It shows the quality of the man."
PNM Senate leader, Pennelope Beckles said: "I can only assume that Mr Khan's comments are not his personal view and I'm assuming that the party leadership has met and he is articulating the view of the leadership."
PNM PRO Faris Al Rawi said he did not know how "the errant perception" of the situation regarding Manning arose.
He added: "I know there are many agents of sabotage but I don't think there's an issue that we can't handle. San Fernando East is well represented at our General Council and we're moving to handle our internal issues. Mr Manning was a phenomenal leader in his time but the PNM has a former leader who sits in the Parliament and it must be a transition for him and it is new uncharted waters for us. But so far I'm comfortable with what I've seen."
PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds said that issues concerning Manning had "been well ventilated already." Several members of the executive said Khan's views on the PNM joining with other parties were "Khan's view."

Port-of-Spain - Trinidad and Tobago will begin using a new postal code system for the delivery of mail from January next year, according to TTPost general manager–operations Robert Hernandez. He explained that as one of the 191 members of the worldwide Universal Postal Union Trinidad and Tobago is required to effect change to its addressing system by developing the postal code system.
Hernandez said that was being done with the assistance of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, through Independent Geographic Tracking System consultants Professor Jacob Opadeyi and Rehanna Jadoo. Hernandez and Jadoo made a presentation on the system to members of the Tobago House of Assembly Executive Council last Friday.
Jadoo said there was no standardised address system in use in Trinidad and Tobago. "What is being used are numbers, lightpole numbers and mile markers. Trinidad and Tobago must have an efficient system of accurately and quickly locating addresses and this gap can be filled by a code system," she stressed.
She explained that Trinidad and Tobago would be divided into 72 delivery zones or points - 64 in Trinidad and eight in Tobago - and there would be a 6-digit code with the first two numbers identifying the postal district, the second two the delivery loops and the third set of numbers identifying the delivery zone or point.
Hernandez said TTPost would host a seminar at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain, on May 11, for the various stakeholders to explain the new system that would be introduced as a pilot project next January in Diego Martin and Siparia.
He said the code system would see every address going into a database and would allow for analysis of potential business opportunities, such as direct marketing. It also would be useful as a commercial tool for businesses and statutory boards, he said.
Hernandez added that every building should have a number and street name, since the lack of good addressing seemed to be a constraint to business development.

Port-of-Spain - Chartered accountants are being told they have a responsibility to safeguard the economy of Trinidad and Tobago by reporting suspicious financial transactions they may encounter in the course of their duties.
The warning came from deputy director of the Financial Intelligence Unit Nigel Stoddard as he addressed professionals in the accounting industry during a workshop last Friday at the Crowne Plaza hotel, Port-of-Spain.
The workshop was organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Stoddard, during his presentation, said Trinidad and Tobago needed to be safeguarded from money launderers.
He said, according to international standards, the issue of blacklisting was of major concern and could have negative implications on a country.
Stoddard said Trinidad and Tobago is on the non-compliance list and appears alongside North Korea and Iran.
"It is serious business when a country is assessed and the result is that the country is in non-compliance.
Stoddard said attorneys and accountants were the new gatekeepers since, on a daily basis, money laundering schemes were evolving and the expertise of professional personnel was required.
Advising accountants they had a legal obligation to identify clients involved in fraudulent activities, Stoddard said, should this occur, "report suspicious transactions, maintain detailed records, perform due diligence procedures on large transactions and wire transfers and implement a compliance programme".
Suspicious activities include customers using different firms of auditors and advisers for connected companies and businesses, customers with a history of changing accountants yearly, customers uncertain about location of company records, unauthorised or improperly recorded transactions; inadequate audit trails and a company being invoiced by organisations located in a country which does not have adequate money laundering laws were some of the issues pointed out by Stoddard.