Four Mon Repos cattle farmers say they may be forced to sell their cattle after the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), without notice, and without providing them with an alternative, suddenly reclaimed land they were given to use as pastures, and levelled the grass thereon.
Tuesday night however, CH&PA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lelon Saul, told Stabroek News that the authority purchased those lands from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) since last year, and that it was the Corporation which had the responsibility of informing any licencees that the lands had been designated for development.
“We don’t go and take any land just like that. Whatever we take possession of was bought. We paid in excess of $6 billion for lands in various locations” Saul explained.
The men voiced their complaints to members of the media from the office of shadow Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who they visited on Tuesday to complain about their plight.
Dhaneeram Bissoon, Ramchan Thakoor, Jadoonath Singh, and Shamshundar Singh, all of Martyrs Ville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, own 14, 20, 12, and 16 heads of cattle respectively. The men, who say they represent a group of 45 cattle farmers who collectively own 150 head of cattle, say they woke up to the works being done, but were not informed of alternative arrangements for them, as was done almost a decade ago when a similar situation occurred.
The men said that contractors claiming to be working for the government bulldozed the land, destroyed the grass and demolished a fence, gate and bridge that were in place.
They shared that they no longer have the means to feed their cattle, and do not know what to do. Bissoon says he originally had 18 head of cattle, but had already sold four. He added that if he does not find another way to feed his cattle, he will have to sell the rest, and seek alternative ways to make a living. He said that “finding a job is hard” and so was not optimistic that he would be able to do so. The other men also said they may have to sell their cattle as they will not be able to produce, and the animals will waste away if they are not fed.
A head of cattle, the men explained, can sell for $145,000 to $200,000.
The men said that under an agreement with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, they were given permission to use the land – two fields 8 hectares in size – as a pasture.
According to a memorandum of understanding dated 5th August 2011, and which was seen by Stabroek News, the Authority entered into an agreement with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), which owned the lands, by which GuySuCo agreed to make available the land for pasture development. GuySuCo also undertook to prepare, free of cost, the land for planting of grass, as well as drainage and irrigation requirements for the pasture.
Importantly, clause four of the memorandum stated that it may be terminated by either party giving six months’ notice. Thakoor said the six months’ notice would have given the cattle farmers an opportunity to harvest the grass which was in the fields to feed their cattle for some time. The cattle need to be fed grass in the morning and again at night, he explained.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Dindyal Permaul, then CEO of the Authority, and Mr. Rajaindra Singh, DCEO of GuySuCo.
Interestingly, the agreement making these lands available to the cattle farmers came about after lands previously used by the cattle farmers as their pasture were designated for the development of house lots.
The men said they never received notice, nor were they consulted, or told what alternative plans were being put in place for them. Instead, they say were told by the contractors that they were operating under the instruction of the Ministry of the Presidency.
The men said that the matter was reported to the police, who turned up, but left after the contractors told the police of their permission from the State.
“This is the second disaster in two years. In November 2017 I get put off of GuySuCo. I have grandchildren I give milk. I don’t know where they will get milk”, Jadoonath complained.
Given that the agreement was made between GuySuCo, and the Livestock Development Authority, one of those entities would have been responsible for informing the cattle farmers of the sale, and given the mandate of the Livestock Authority, it is this entity which would, as was the case in 2011, be responsible for finding an alternative for the cattle farmers.
