Government ministers and farmers whose lands were bulldozed recently made a site visit Saturday to lands that the government is proposing as an alternative to the ones the farmers have used for decades.
On Easter Monday bulldozers from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) destroyed several acres of crops at farms in D'Abadie and Chaguanas. The incident created a storm of protests by farmers.
Since then government has offered them compensation, which they have agreed to accept, as well as relocation to alternative sites to allow the HDC to build houses on the lands they had used for farming for many years.
They initially refused that. However last week they met with Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal and Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Bharat, who acted as mediator, and agreed to consider the relocation offer.
The site visit was based on that agreement.
Commenting on the latest development, Bharath told reporters Government and the farmers have arrived at an agreement in principle.
The alternative sites are three 40-acre blocks of lands at St Helena for the four farmers who have occupied lands at D'Abadie and an adjacent 100-acre parcel of land at Egypt, in Chaguanas for about 20 others.
"The farmers have agreed in principle to the proposal made by Minister Moonilal and myself in terms of compensation as well as relocation has been accepted and accepted with no grudges borne.
"They have come to accept this because they know it is in their best interest and that the Government is working for the best interest of the farmers," Bharath said.
He explained that the government selected St Helena for the D'Abadie farmers because of its proximity to their current location. In addition, he said a new road under construction in Kelly Village would give the farmers easy access into and out of the area.
Moonilal assured that farmers the HDC will give the farmers enough time to re-locate.
With respect to other lands under cultivation that are earmarked for housing, the minister promised a "consultative approach". One such area is in Princes Town where persons are farming lands needed for HDC housing projects.
Bharath said officials and the farmers are calculating the market price for the crops lost and that he will present the final figures to Moonilal Monday. Moonilal has promised that his ministry will pay the compensation.
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