Moonilal vows to crush land-grab, will protect citizens

Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal took a tough stand Friday against illegal squatters, telling Parliament that the people's partnership government will have a zero-tolerance policy on people illegally occupying State lands.

"This grab for land will not be tolerated and there will be zero tolerance in this regard," Moonilal stated adding that the land-grabbing represented "the actions of a few misdirected, ill-informed and ill-advised persons".

He was speaking about the recent situation at Cashew Gardens in central Trinidad where police had to be called in to demolish dozens of shacks put up by squatters in the past few weeks.

Moonilal said the State must protect the bona fide residents of Cashew Gardens who have legal agreements with the Land Settlement Agency (LSA) to occupy their plots of land.

"This Government will protect and defend law-abiding landowners at Cashew Gardens and all other law-abiding persons situated on all LSA sites throughout Trinidad and Tobago," he declared.

He acknowledged that his government has a people-centred development policy aimed at poverty eradication and social justice. He said the pillars of good governance and sustainable development include national and personal security.

"But Mr Speaker, none of this can be achieved if we condone or support the mindless situation which took place over the past weeks, which, though borne out of need, is not a workable solution.

"Illegal activities even if based on the need for food, clothing, shelter or safety will not be supported by this administration. There cannot be wanton disregard of the welfare of an entire nation for the illegal actions of a few," he said.

Moonilal explained that a seven-member ministerial team has developed a five-pronged plan to deal with the problem, which would involved 24/7 patrols of State land to deal with the upsurge in land-grabbing.

The plan also includes:

• a telephone hotline to receive reports from the public about illegal squatting or land-grabbing
• the continuation of the demolition exercises to knock down and remove unoccupied or incomplete structures being erected
• placing ’No Trespassing’ signs on vacant State property
• the serving of notice on squatters who have occupied lands with a view to obtaining court orders at an early stage for eviction of these unauthorised
  

"Let me put the national community on notice that this Government is taking lawful and legal action to protect its assets on State land throughout this country. Be it at Point Fortin, Race Course in Arima, Valencia or Sangre Grande or wherever in the name of the State.

"Almost $200 million of taxpayers’ money has been spent by the Land Settlement Agency to develop these squatter sites in a proper and orderly manner with all necessary infrastructure in place," the minister said.