People’s National Movement (PNM) Chaguanas West candidate Avinash Singh is accusing Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal of abusing his powers and victimising him. Singh and other farmers face eviction from acres of farm lands in Cacandee, Felicity. On Thursday, Moonilal visited the land, referred to as “The Coconut,” which, he said, would be used for residential lots for former Caroni workers from Felicity.
Singh accused Moonilal of using intimidation tactics against him, since part of the lands which the minister visited was being farmed by his family. “This is definitely politically motivated and it is victimisation of the highest degree. “It is only because Government realises that a son of the soil and member of the PNM is contesting the election that they are trying everything in their power to abuse me as a citizen,” Singh said yesterday in a telephone interview with the T&T Guardian.
Moonilal, contacted yesterday, dismissed Singh’s statements. He advised Singh “not to get desperate and overreact.” “There is absolutely no campaign to victimise him. I only came down to visit. He should not be scared of me,” Moonilal said. He said the use of the land was being reviewed.
“No decision has been taken. However, we are clear that it will be used to provide housing and Mr Singh and all his family members will have an opportunity to make their case with their documents and so on before the commissioner of state lands or a magistrate if necessary,” Moonilal said. He questioned why Singh was being hasty.
He added: “We just stepped foot on a piece of land to look at housing needs and already the PNM candidate, PNM leader and PNM General Council are reacting as if they are guilty of something. Due process will be followed. “No action will be taken without due process. They are being completely paranoid much too early.” He said he first had to determine if the land Singh and his family were occupying was state land.
The minister said the land in Cacandee was earmarked under the former government for housing. Singh, who said he was managing the land for his relatives, denied the minister’s statement. He claimed the lands occupied by his family and the farmers form part of the Felicity Food Crop Project, which was started under the former PNM regime, after the closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd. While he admitted that the entire area was state lands, Singh said, he and all the other farmers on the lands had documents.
“We have state land status,” Singh said. “It is a documentation that if a person is planting the state land, the farmer has all access to incentives. It is recognised by the State, the Ministry of Food Production and the Commissioner of State Lands.” In fact, he said, farmers have been able to get loans using their documentation. He said the lands in question were earmarked for two phases of development.
Phase One, he said, was “never earmarked for housing” but for agricultural use. Part of phase two was going to be used for housing, he said, but after research the former government relocated the land for housing. Singh said he and the farmers would fight to retain the lands. “I am asking the Government to do what they deemed fit, they will pay the political price and they will be taken to court.
“I am going to stand up and I will stand firm. I will be representing every single farmer in my community,” Singh said. He denied receiving notices to vacate the land.