Felicity farmer waits on Cabinet

NALINEE SEELAL

ONE of four Felicity farmers whose complaint to Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat about being illegally removed from a two-acre plot of land which was given to Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Deodat Dulalchan, is hoping to be allowed to return to the land shortly.

Selwyn Mahabir and three other farmers were ordered off the land by a senior official of the State Lands Department who presented Dulalchan with a letter that the top cop was the rightful occupier of the land.

Yesterday, Mahabir told Newsday he is eagerly awaiting a decision by Cabinet to have him and the other farmers reinstated to the land. Mahabir’s complaint resulted in three senior officials from the Ministry and the State Lands Department being suspended. The suspended three are Ministry Permanent Secretary Angela Siew; Commissioner of State Lands Paula Drakes and Deputy Commissioner of State Lands Bhanmati Seecharan.

A further decision was made to seize the land in question while an investigation is ongoing. Sources close to Dulalchan said he is prepared to take legal action if the Ministry evicts him from the land. Several calls by Newsday to Dulalchan’s cellphone yesterday went unanswered.

Yesterday, Mahabir told Newsday that after being removed from the land he has been forced to work in a pluck shop on weekends to provide for his family.

He said that he and the other three farmers occupied and planted the land for the past 13 years. At the time he was evicted, Mahabir had planted sorrel, pigeon peas and other short term crops.