Residents protest bulldozing of agricultural lands

Concerned residents from Curepe and Valsayn North have condemned government’s decision to use what they call “prime agriculture lands in Ramgoolie Settlement” for the purpose of constructing houses.

The group, consisting of the National Food Crop Farmers Association, Curepe Farmers Association, concerned residents of Ramgoolie Settlement, Curepe and Valsayn North held a demonstration at the entrance of the proposed site of the Ramgoolie Trace Housing Development on Saturday to protest the bulldozing of the site by the National Housing Authority on May 2. A release from the group explained that on May 2, officials from the NHA came to Ramgoolie Settlement and bulldozed the area, which they claimed contained bodi, tomatoes, patchoi, pumpkin and paw paw trees belonging to over 25 farms, without giving any prior notice to the farmers. The group pointed out that the struggle to keep prime agriculture lands for agricultural use and for the preservation of the environment must become priority for all. Public Relations Specialist of the National Food Crop Farmers Association, Anderson Morris, stated that any further disregard for the food basket of the nation must not be tolerated.