Building houses on fertile land: does this make sense?

THE EDITOR: The most blatant attempt at house padding is currently taking place in the constituency of St Joseph which is  represented in the parliament by the United National Congress. I refer to the St Joseph farm as an example in question. On May 2, 2003, agents of the National Housing Authority went onto agricultural lands that have been tilled by farmers for over forty years and destroyed valuable short and long term crops. Bodi, paw-paw, cabbage, peas, and other produce were destroyed in one fell swoop. No notice was given and I am sure that no compensation will be forthcoming. This is the action of a government that cares!

The irony behind the whole incident is that this government preaches on a daily basis that it has an agricultural policy that will be beneficial for the national community. Yet, it bulldozes some of the most fertile agricultural lands in Trinidad and Tobago to build houses. What sense does this make? It is good to see the National Food Crop Farmers Association and the Curepe Farmers Association come together with the residents of Curepe and Valsayn North to oppose the government on this issue. Besides being a desecration to the land, the authorities will encounter logistical difficulties in terms of pollution, waste disposal, traffic management, and in the longer term, social disintegration. Curepe is a community that is already highly saturated.  One wonders how the government intends to absorb all these new families into the health, education and social systems within the area. Of course, I am yet to make mention of the effect this new settlement will have on the environment. This government has given nothing but lip service to the environment.

As one of my farmer friends said recently, “Vision 20/20 is no vision without agriculture.” It has become evident that this government needs to rethink its policy with respect to this new housing settlement in Ramgoolie Trace, Curepe. Sacrificing the good of the community and the nation for political expediency is unacceptable. As the spokesperson for the National Food Crop Farmers Association and the Curepe Farmers Association, I am calling on the government to bring an immediate halt to the bulldozing taking place on the St Joseph farmlands in Ramgoolie Trace. I am inviting the Environment Management Agency to conduct an environmental impact study on the site, coupled with public consultation, before a determination is made on this matter. It is not to late to stop this pillage of such fertile land. We ask the government to have compassion and mercy on the farmers in the Curepe area.

A ANDERSON  MORRIS
Public Relations Specialist
National Food Crop Farmers Association
Curepe Farmers Association