Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal stood his ground Sunday amidst continuing calls from farmers for an apology for wrecking their crops and for the minister's dismissal.
However Moonilal told reporters he did nothing wrong so there's no need to apologise."You cannot apologise for acting according to the law. I think you generally apologise for breaking the law," Moonilal said.
Moonilal made it clear last week that the bulldozing of farm lands in east and central Trinidad to make way for houses was part of government policy and was emphatic that there is no question of houses getting preference to agriculture.
He told reporters that the people's partnership government is committed to both housing and food production and there is no question about the land issue putting one against the other.
However Moonilal told reporters he did nothing wrong so there's no need to apologise."You cannot apologise for acting according to the law. I think you generally apologise for breaking the law," Moonilal said.
Moonilal made it clear last week that the bulldozing of farm lands in east and central Trinidad to make way for houses was part of government policy and was emphatic that there is no question of houses getting preference to agriculture.
He told reporters that the people's partnership government is committed to both housing and food production and there is no question about the land issue putting one against the other.
He said the bulldozing, which Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar halted, was "regrettable", but also noted that farmers has adequate notice that the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) needed the land to build houses.
On Thursday, he and Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath met with farmers and offered compensation at market prices for the crops that were destroyed and Moonilal also offered alternative lands.
On Thursday, he and Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath met with farmers and offered compensation at market prices for the crops that were destroyed and Moonilal also offered alternative lands.
However while the farmers accepted the compensation,which is to be paid by the housing ministry, they rejected the relocation offer and have called on the prime minister to intervene in the matter.
They subsequently staged a demonstration in Port of Spain and demanded Moonilal's dismissal and the removal of the HDC managing director Jearlean John.
John told the Express newspaper on Sunday only 25 acres of land had been bulldozed and reiterated that farmers were given adequate notice that the lands were required for housing.
Moonilal told reporters in addition to the compensation, farmers were allowed to return to the land to continue reaping the rest of their crops. "We removed the police from those lands and told farmers they were free to go back on land harvest and reap their crops," Moonilal said.
He said the farmers assured him that they would not not return to plant on the land for now. "The discussion is ongoing its an ongoing dialogue we are hoping that at the end we can have an amicable solution," he said.
Moonilal noted that an alternative 120-acre farming site has been identified at St Helena. "We are looking at that to see size and suitability," he said.
They subsequently staged a demonstration in Port of Spain and demanded Moonilal's dismissal and the removal of the HDC managing director Jearlean John.
John told the Express newspaper on Sunday only 25 acres of land had been bulldozed and reiterated that farmers were given adequate notice that the lands were required for housing.
Moonilal told reporters in addition to the compensation, farmers were allowed to return to the land to continue reaping the rest of their crops. "We removed the police from those lands and told farmers they were free to go back on land harvest and reap their crops," Moonilal said.
He said the farmers assured him that they would not not return to plant on the land for now. "The discussion is ongoing its an ongoing dialogue we are hoping that at the end we can have an amicable solution," he said.
Moonilal noted that an alternative 120-acre farming site has been identified at St Helena. "We are looking at that to see size and suitability," he said.
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