By Daniel Da Costa
Some proprietors at Number 67 Village Corentyne are up in arms over the construction of an ice factory on land, which they claim belongs to three of them.
According to a statement issued by some members of the Number 66 Fishing Co-operative Society, during a meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, they were asked whether they objected to the construction of the factory. The statement said that when no one objected, the minister advised the businessman to proceed with his construction, which was already underway. However, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Parmanand Persaud, told this newspaper that the minister had not given permission for the construction. He acknowledged that the minister had met the fishermen and sought their views on the project and enquired whether there were any objections. The minister, he said, subsequently forwarded a report to Minister of Works Robeson Benn for his perusal.
The factory has been constructed and is now operational despite the fact that two responsible state agencies are still in the process of determining the rightful owners of the land.
According to Chairman of the Sea Defence Board, John Cush, the board was in the process of ascertaining the rightful owners of the land.
Chief Executive Officer of the Lands and Surveys Commission, Andrew Bishop, told this newspaper that the businessman who constructed the ice factory has only now applied for permission to use the plot of land. The application, he said, has been sent to the various regional and state agencies for their comments before a decision is taken.
The Sea Defence Board had some years ago earmarked a portion of land between Number 67 and Number 68 villages including the plot on which the ice factory is sited for sea defence purposes, but no use was made of it. In March 2006, Cush wrote to the Lands and Surveys Commission stating that the Sea Defence Board was desirous of returning the land to the heirs of the estates of the original proprietors.
His query then was “whether the land was acquired legally and whether any compensation was paid to the original proprietors.”
The proprietors told this newspaper that they had not received any compensation and were not aware that any Act of Parliament was passed to appropriate the land or any court giving the land in question to anyone. In October 2007, the proprietors wrote to Bishop expressing their concern over “the encroachment on private lands in the Number 67 Village area” pointing out that “the adjoining Number 68 Village had already been overrun by squatters and trespassers.”
The land on which the factory was built is approximately 115 feet by 60 feet and is in proximity to the area’s sideline dam, which is now suffering from erosion. Four fishermen are also squatting on the land, while a house was erected in the vicinity of the factory. The proprietors, who have since formed themselves into the Upper Corentyne Environmental Committee, number some 200.
According to the Number 72-74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council, “the factory was constructed without the necessary approval from the NDC, Central Housing and Planning Authority and Environmental Protection Agency. At the commencement of the project, the proprietors had complained to the council and a notice for illegal construction was served on the businessman, but he continued to build. The Public Health Inspector then served him with a notice, but this was also ignored.”
The council further stated, “The building has been completed and another house has been erected adjacent to the lot.”
The overseer of the council said he visited the site but was unable to gain access to the compound to serve another notice because of the presence of a group of hostile men who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
In his notice dated November 22, 2007 the Environmental Health Officer informed the businessman that he was erecting the building without the permission of the NDC and its Health Department and instructed that he should cease construction immediately failing which he would face prosecution.
In a letter dated October 26, 2007, the overseer of the NDC stated inter alia: “you are hereby directed to cease all construction until you have the relevant approval from the council.
Failure to comply will leave the council with no alternative but to take legal action against you.”
Yvonne Raghoo, confidential secretary to President Bharrat Jagdeo, in response to a letter sent by the proprietors to the Head of State stated, “His Excellency has advised that he would be unable to take action on such allegations and furthermore ministers do not give permission on matters of this nature, there is an independent body that gives approval.”
According to the proprietors, they are anxiously awaiting the long overdue determination of the Lands and Surveys Commission. They maintain that the land rightfully belongs to them but it has been illegally appropriated by the businessman.
