Mad grab for Caroni lands in P/Town

AMONG THE many developments following the offer of VSEP to Caroni workers is the matter of “land blocking” in the Glenroy fields, Garth Road, Princes Town.

Several persons have been building small houses with coconut trees to show that they have been occupying the lands, and last Sunday many of them were seen planting vegetables and drilling holes on the lands. The lands were abandoned by Caroni after the 2001 harvest after being deemed ‘non-profitable’. They had been left vacant and were overgrown with bushes until some individuals began clearing the lands and putting their marks in an effort to show they have been occupying the lots. According to Kenneth Sookhai, who has been living in Garth Road for the past 25 years, the mad grab for land began in January just after Caroni workers received their documents on the VSEP.

“A lot of strange people are now coming into the area and working as if it is their own private property,” he said.  Sookhai, who said he had been employed with Caroni Limited for the past 22 years, said he was given a letter of comfort to squat on lands in Garth Road. However, his house stands on a half lot of land near the cane fields. Since the fields had been cleared following this year’s harvest, he had planned to plant vegetables to sell in the market. However, he had to deal with people who came in and built fences at the back of his house. “I am a quiet person. I don’t want any problems. I just want to live comfortably with my wife and two sons,” he said. Sookhai believes the people living in the area should be given preference for the lands for the purpose of planting sugar canes and other produce. He said the government has not outlined its plan to deal with Caroni lands, but people who have their roots in the sugar industry should be given the lands.