On Thursday frustrated residents contacted this newspaper and later when Stabroek News visited the community on the East Coast Demerara several recounted that they had not heard from the Ministry of Agriculture or NICIL since October. The residents explained that they were last told they had until the end of October to relocate to land that would be provided to them but this was never done and no compensation had been paid to them.
Stabroek News understands that shortly after this newspaper left the community, residents were hastily invited to a meeting on Friday afternoon at the Ministry of Agriculture. Stabroek News was told that the ministry provided transportation to take residents to the meeting where they were addressed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dindyal Permaul. He reportedly told them that the government would be able to pay them after the 2010 budget was passed by the National Assembly. He promised that the ministry would be contacting the residents again within the next two weeks to outline a plan to them.
Meanwhile, during the meeting this newspaper understands, residents were chided for contacting Stabroek News on the issue. However, these criticisms were rebuffed by residents who said that if this newspaper had not visited, the ministry would have been silent on the matter.
On Thursday one resident disclosed that on October 14 last, he had received a letter from Permaul indicating the contents of a compensatory package. He was also inform-ed that he was required to remove by the end of the month to a plot of land at Hope Estate. In the letter, the Permanent Secretary also promised to dispatch a copy of the plan showing the plots that were to be allocated via lottery to the 20 affected residents shortly. However, since this correspondence from Permaul there was no further correspondence from the Ministry or NICIL regarding payment of compensation or specific information about the land they were supposed to occupy.
Other residents in the area recounted similar experiences, where they were notified by letter that they were required to vacate their premises by the end of Octo-ber. They recounted that as a group they have visited both the Ministry of Agriculture and NICIL on several occasions to find out what exactly was going on but were never given a satisfactory response. Representatives of the community last visited NICIL in early January, they said.
Meanwhile, those affected were upset at the administration apparently retracting on a promise made to them at the initial stages of the relocation exercise. They said when the government first approached them about relocating, they were told they were going to move to the front of Hope Estate, but they were subsequently informed that they would have been moved to the back of Hope Estate. The residents argued that this very act was devaluing their property since they were being moved to an area that is even more prone to flooding than the front area and that this was taking them further away from the school and shops in the community. They also said that the infrastructure in the area was bad, especially the access roads.
Several of the residents said they would refuse to relocate to the back of Hope Estate if they are offered land there. One resident, Doodnauth Roy, said he has hired a lawyer to make sure he gets a fair deal.
Charles Soso said his life has been put on hold since last year. He said he began building his home some time in 2003 but was told to halt construction last year since he would have to relocate. According to him, since then he has not heard a word from them and some of the materials he had purchased to build his home are now useless.
Of even greater economic significance is the fact that the farmers who were asked to give up their farmland to accommodate the canal are now without any land to do their agricultural activities. They said they were asked several months ago not to plant on the land after their last crop would have been completed and were promised alternative farmland. Several farmers told this newspaper that they followed these instructions only for them to be let down by the failure of the government to provide alternative land. Many say they are now feeling the squeeze since their main source of economic income has been halted.
“We want work,” one resident Harryram Seebalak said, a sentiment which was echoed by several others. Seebalak, who is married and a father of six, said that since he has stopped farming it has been a real challenge to provide for his family.
Meanwhile, others who are currently farming said the current El Niño weather pattern has severely hampered their produce. They said that they don’t have enough water to farm and that the available water is extremely salty.
When contacted for a comment, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said that the funds to be paid out as part of the compensatory package had been tied up due to budgetary allocations. He explained that close to $70 million would have to be paid out and he hoped this could be done within the next two weeks. Regarding the relocation of the people, he said land for housing had already been set aside but final arrangements are being made regarding the allocation of farmland. According to him, this could be tied up within a matter of months.
Persaud, meanwhile, said that shortly the project for the Hope Canal will be put out to tender. He stated that the final specifics of the project are being outlined and explained that there were no dramatic changes to the designs recommended by the consultants.
