5,400 families to benefit from National Settlements

WHILE Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley has publicly vowed that Government will not condone squatting, some 5,400 squatter families are expected to benefit over the next three years from the Second National Settlements Programme (NSP) outlined by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In a written response to a question in the Senate last week, Dr Rowley said a programme operations manual for the NSP was approved and became effective last June 12.

The section of the manual entitled “Squatter Regularisation” states: “The Squatter Regularisation Programme of the IDB seeks to improve the living conditions and increase the security of families living in the squatter settlements. This includes the provision of basic services and legal land tenure to families living in squatter settlements. An estimated figure of 5,400 families is expected to benefit over the three-year duration of the programme.”

However, the NSP manual goes on to stress: “Only squatter settlements on State lands which come under the State land (Regularisation of Tenure) Act No 25 of 1998 will benefit from this programme. Persons who occupy State lands after January 1, 1998, will not be regularised.” Site selection criteria for squatter settlements under the NSP include the settlement conforming with Section 19 of the State Land (Regularisation of Tenure) Act 25 of 1998, a minimum of 80 percent of the lots on the squatter settlement must be occupied, approvals for squatter sites from all relevant regulatory agencies, the settlement must be within reasonable proximity to public transportation routes and there should be easy access to a supply of potable water, electricity and sewerage facilities.

Among the criteria which applicants for regularisation of land tenure must meet is they must be citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, be 21 years and over and should be in actual occupation of State land on which there is a dwelling house before January 1, 1998. The NSP manual further states that beneficiaries who receive a certificate of comfort will be issued a statutory lease once the relevant requirements outlined in Act No 25 of 1998 are fulfilled and that lease is valid for 30 years.