Lands coming soon

MINISTER in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Christine Sahadeo, has reiterated that allocations of land for both agricultural and residential purposes for former Caroni (1975) Ltd workers would be made after the necessary procedures are completed, including infrastructural development works. Speaking with Newsday on Thursday during the formal opening of the PNM’s Fyzabad Constituency office, Sahadeo said government had taken note of the “lack of hope” prevalent among the ex-workers who were anxious to have the lands given to them as part of their VSEP packages. The minister sought to clarify the distinction between workers’ applications for residential lands as opposed to agricultural plots.

“Right now there are a lot of people who don’t have hope and are confused about information regarding allocations of residential lands as opposed to agricultural lands,” Sahadeo told the media. Sahadeo admitted that the forms distributed for registration to acquire agricultural lands were inadequate. “The last form was inadequate. We now have all the areas that are available, some 30 products that have been identified,” Sahadeo said. Farmers would now be requested to indicate the type of crops they wish to cultivate. Sahadeo said as far as residential lands were concerned, all facilities had to be put in place.

“Town and Country Planning, TTEC, WASA...we just cannot let them go and live on lands without basic amenities. Land assigning will be done, but we must ensure infrastructural developments are in place,” she said. Questioned about the recent disqualification of 1,229 former workers’ applications for residential lands, Sahadeo reiterated the criterion saying VSEP workers who owned a home before 2003, would not qualify.  “They must have been an employee and taken the VSEP offer. Remember, this is to benefit and to help those who did not have homes. If when we check in the bank and see you have a home, then you would not qualify,” Sahadeo said.