Land and 149 houses can be sold

Justice Gregory Smith yesterday dismissed an application by Oropune villagers over a land dispute with the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UdeCOTT) and  Oropune Development Limited  (ODL). The villagers, who formed themselves into the Oropune Cooperative Society Limited, were seeking to stop the Government from selling 46 acres of land and 149 houses that were promised  them by a previous government. The matter was heard in the Port-of-Spain First Civil Court. Rangee Dolsingh SC, Dr Charles Seepersad, Mark Seepersad  and Gerald Ramdeen, who are representing the Oropune residents, argued that the Oropune Society was promised the land by Government to be leased at the price of $5 per square foot. However, when UdeCOTT and ODL advertised the lots for sale, the Oropune residents filed an injunction restraining the two bodies from selling the lots. Speaking to Newsday, President of the Society, Dianne Balla, said that the land and houses were promised to the residents when they were forced to move from the area to make way for the new Piarco Airport.

She said the court’s ruling meant that the Oropune residents will be moving for the third time. Attorney Dr Seepersad also told  Newsday that the residents were poor and were never paid  compensation for leaving their homes. He said that the 149 houses and land were granted to the residents free of charge in exchange for their original homes. He said they would be appealing the judgement, and if that failed they would go to the Privy Council. Justice Smith also ordered that the Society pay the costs for  junior counsel who are representing the government.  Representing UdeCOTT are  attorneys Reginald Armorer instructed by Sasha Brathwaite, while  Desmond Allum SC lead Gregory Delzin, instructed by Saikah Carrmuddeen are appearing for Planning Minister, Dr Keith Rowley. Balla said, “We (the residents) went to the court to get justice and redress, instead what we got was injustice and unfairness. Something is definitely wrong with this system.” She said, “We will not let this government take away the lands that we are entitled to. It is very, very unfair. This government is very, very uncaring. There was a lot of political interference in this matter,” she added.