No eviction notices at Cashew Gardens Thursday, June 17 2010

NO EVICTION notices have been served to persons occupying State land at Cashew Gardens, Longdenville despite pronouncements by Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal that notices were prepared by the Commissioner of State Lands and would be served to squatters.

Meanwhile, the man at the centre of the so-called “land grab”, Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis said yesterday that the five-acre plot of state land which he annexed for agricultural purposes was “a pilot project” designed to plant crops for the export market and to encourage youths to plant the land.

Persons were seen yesterday hurriedly constructing shacks despite inclement weather and the government’s stated intention to serve eviction notices to reclaim the state land.

Alexis yesterday urged government to talk with the affected persons in an effort to regularise the situation. “I have a business plan for this area and this is to be seen as a pilot project for a year or two years, and if they are not satisfied, they can take back the lease,” he said, adding that his goal was to put 300 acres under agricultural production.

Alexis pointed to a notebook which he said contained the names of some 300 persons who indicated their willingness to work on the “agricultural estate” and be assigned portions of land. Justin Fabien said one of the reasons for the sudden land grab was an alleged promise during the General Election campaign by the People’s Partnership to regularise squatters. “This is the voice of the people and they want the land,” Fabien said, adding if Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was not intent on keeping that campaign promise, she should not have made it in the first place. “My father told me, ‘talk little so if you have to eat your words later, you won’t choke on it’,” Fabien said.

He called on Minister of the People and Social Development, Dr Glenn Ramadhar-singh to visit the area and speak to the people. He said Government could gain “a lot of points” on how it handles this situation, especially with Local Government elections expected this year.