Column: Let's grow food and build houses

Flashback to 2008. Vasant Bharath helps replant crops after HDC bulldozers wrecked farms in Spring Village

When Vasant Bharat stood up against bulldozers in Spring Village in 2008 he was representing the cause of farmers in his St Augustine constituency and his actions were consistent with the policies of his party - the United National Congress (UNC).

The People's National Movement (PNM) was in power and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) was under the control of Emily Gaynor Dick-Fode, who responded to the farmers' protest and ordered HDC boss Noel Garcia to halt the project.

When Bharath stood up with farmers Friday he was doing what he did in 2008 as an opposition MP. When he told them, "You have a just cause", he was demonstrating consistency as an individual committed to the farming community as a politician representing a party - the UNC - that has always stood up in defence of agriculture and agricultural workers.

However his action put him in an apparent conflict with his cabinet colleague, Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal, who expressed regret at the bulldozing of farmers' crops and offered compensation and relocation for those affected by the actions of the HDC on Easter Monday.

And it puts Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the spot. Would she penalise Bharath for standing up for government policy? Would she do the same to Moonilal for also following government policy?

Moonilal made it clear on Thursday following the regular cabinet meeting that there never was a question of housing versus agriculture. But he insisted that the lands at D'Abadie were earmarked for housing and that will continue with plans to build houses there.

That is where there appears to be a clear policy conflict. 

While the present government is committed to both housing and agriculture it has identified itself as a humane and caring administration that operates on the basis of consultation with the people.

When Persad-Bissessar intervened from Brazil to stop the bulldozing she said while she appreciated and understood the urgent need for housing, the government must give equal consideration to farmers.

She asked both ministers to find a solution and expressed confidence that the matter could be resolved in the interest and satisfaction of all concerned.

It appeared so on Thursday but the events of Friday demonstrate that the optimism was premature. Farmers are now demanding Moonilal's dismissal. And Bharath's decision to stand with the farmers might be seen as evidence that he shares their views with respect to his cabinet colleague.

Of course Bharath wants no such thing. He made that very clear on Friday - that his presence with his "extended family" was not to criticise his colleague but to show solidarity and consistency, reminding everyone that when the HDC bulldozers showed up in Spring Village in May 2008 he was there to stop them.

Moonilal and Bharath both want to carry on with their agenda and deliver on the housing and agriculture promises of their government. 

In the process, his housing ministry may have erred in the lack of consultation. But Moonilal's insistence on building houses on land earmarked by the previous government for a residential development had offended many people, including supporters of the UNC in its heartland.

The question is whether there are no more suitable lands for housing in the vicinity of the farms that have been bulldozed.

Bharath has been encouraging people to stay on the land and to grow food. Just a couple of weeks ago he told farmers occupying state lands they are welcome to stay while the state regularises their tenure, providing they cultivate the land 

In the case of the D'Abadie and Endeavour lands there is clear evidence that the lands have been used for agriculture for many years. 

Bharath and his government have been saying they will ensure that arable land is not used for housing. That is a reasonable position given that Trinidad and Tobago has thousands of acres of land that can be used for housing. 

So why didn't the HDC look for other suitable lands for housing. Why insist on one particular location, especially one that is producing food for the nation?

That really is what has ticked off the farmers who are suggesting that Moonilal is acting contrary to his own government's policies.

The task for the Prime Minister now is to decide on whether any of her ministers erred and to investigate what went wrong. But she must act swiftly to resolve this unnecessary impasse that could escalate into a political nightmare.

The solution could be as easy as finding an alternative location for the housing project. After all, no one needs fertile land for that and there is without a doubt more available land in that constituency.

But there is a bigger and more sensitive issue to be resolved. That is, why did the bulldozers wreck so many acres of crops, necessitating state compensation when the HDC could have waited for the farmers to harvest their crops or look elsewhere to build houses.

The HDC's view is that crops are cyclical, that the farmers were served notices and should have expected the arrival of bulldozers. 

While that may be true, the whole episode demonstrates a kind of arrogance that is inconsistent with government policy and the character of its leader has always put people first and has always acted with compassion and humility in dealing with people.

The challenge that faces Kamla on her return home is to deal decisively with this matter. 

In opposition the UNC put people first; in government the UNC and the People's Partnership put people first.

There's room enough for food production production and thousands of new homes. So let's build homes and let us grow food and feed our nation.

The challenges are enormous, but so are the possibilities!

Jai Parasram - 30 April, 2011