Former sugar workers get leases for 2-acre plots for farming; all will get land by year-end

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday handed out more than 610 leases to former sugar workers for agricultural land. 

The former employees of Caroni (1975) Limited, which was closed by the former Manning PNM administration, had waited several years for the land. Each lease is for a two-acre plot.

Persad-Bissessar noted that for too long the country's agriculture sector had been neglected and that has had a negative impact on the economy.

"For almost a decade this sector was woefully neglected and we are intent on righting this wrong," she said. 

"The neglect of the agriculture sector caused the alarming rise in food prices in our country that has contributed to the inflationary rates we are seeing and to other social and economic consequences," Persad-Bissessar added.

"It is my hope that in delivering your long promised land, you will recognise our intention to partner with you to rebuilding this crucial sector so as to promote effective economic diversification."

Leases for two-acre parcels of land were given to 610 former Caroni workers across ten allotted sites. Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath, the line minister responsible for the distribution of these lands, said more than 4,000 people were waiting on similar leases.

Food production minister Vasant Bharath, whose ministry hosted the event, promised that all 7,000 agricultural leases would be handed out by the end of the year.These are separate from the housing leases, which he said have temporarily halted.

He said the government is trying to determine where to put the housing lots and which former sugar lands will be going back to agriculture.

"So once the Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD) board is appointed and makes these determinations we will proceed with the housing lots."

He acknowledged that the former workers faced severe hardships since the Manning administration shut down the industry. He said the ministry is preparing an incentive programme in the new year to assist new land owners produce crops.

"As a matter of fact, come January, the Land and Water Development Division of the ministry, in conjunction with the EMBD, will embark on a programme of accelerated development of agricultural access roads."