Charles, Imbert to discuss relocation costs for airport terminal land

Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles is to meet with acting Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, today to discuss the cost of relocating residents from the site identified for construction of the new terminal for the ANR Robinson International Airport.

Charles also said the new meteorological facility in Crown Point, commissioned in January 2017 by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, may have to be demolished as well to make way for the new $500 million terminal.

Speaking at the Tobago House of Assembly’s One-to-One meeting at the Lambeau Multi-purpose facility on Tuesday, Charles told residents he would discuss the cost of relocating residents at today’s meeting with Imbert.

“I would take the opportunity to advise that we have begun conversation and would be looking at what is the possible cost of relocation, so that adequate funds can be made available whether through the budget process or through loans so that once the valuations are done and the negotiations are complete, funds would be available to discharge our obligations or to pay compensation as the case may be,” he said.

Charles said that for years, Government has been talking about a new terminal building so that Tobago would have an airport capable of handling some of the passenger loads, as well as ensuring that it could attract multiple aircrafts and aircrafts of a particular size.

“This is 2018, can we really attract visitors to our island if our infrastructure is not at the level that it ought to be? So, we are moving to treat with that,” he said.

Charles contended that past administrations had made mistakes in the construction of an airport but that his administration has taken the necessary steps to avoid pitfalls.

“One of the things that we did on this occasion was to commission a study and a plan we call an airport development plan. So that we have a plan that can serve us for the next 30 to 40 years and therefore it means that you can treat with your airport development in an incremental or step by step way as you develop and as your economy develops,” he said.

Noting that there would be challenges during the process, he suggested that the new meteorological facility commissioned in January 2017 by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley may have to be demolished

“In terms of a new airport terminal building, with adequate car parking and new ramp positioning and so on, would require some of those persons who are now living in that area to be relocated and that is why I said solving one problem usually creates another or as you develop a particular development strategy, there would be intended advantages and disadvantages.

“The tower that we have on that building that we built recently under the auspices of the Tobago Development Ministry may have to go. We were not doing things in a structured and systematic way…,” he claimed.

On the issue of relocation and compensation, he noted that various meetings were planned to meet with persons who own property in the area earmarked for construction, so that they could be dealt with fairly, He criticised persons who he claimed attempted to derail the project by attending Monday’s public consultation but who he said, do not reside within affected area.

“We invited those who were likely to be affected for a conversation. I looked at a clip because I was not there. All kinds of people, some who live in the East, some who live in the North and they were some of the more outspoken ones. Tobago small, so you know who they are, and you know the colour of their dress or for that matter their shirt. So, you know as we would say, ‘for them alone, they don’t want anything happen,’ so they were glad to go there, open their mouths and create confusion in an attempt to derail the project,” he said.

Among contributors at Monday’s public consultation was Dr Faith BYisrael, the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) Minority Councillor in the THA.

Charles also suggested there was room for dialogue on acquisition of land from property owners, though they were told on Monday by THA Chief Administrator Raye Sandy that the land had already been earmarked for the terminal and would be acquired by Government through compulsory acquisition. Sandy also told residents that construction of the new terminal was slated to begin in December.

Said Charles:

“Arguably, I do recognise one of the unintended disadvantages or consequences, someone might be living in the area for a very long time and now they have to move. It is an emotional situation and we recognise that. And therefore, what we did starting last night (Monday) was that we decided to meet with the residents of that area and to begin the process of conversation or dialogue. To advise them in the first instance that this project is being undertaken and that there are certain categories of persons and because we want to ensure that there is a certain kind of fairness, we are saying that we cannot treat with everybody from a negotiation standpoint.

“Compulsory acquisition is a tool used by the Government and it is enshrined in law for the acquisition of land for public purposes. Not because your land can be compulsory acquired, the process of acquiring by what you call private treaty, where we can sit and talk and negotiate is out of the window.

“As a matter of fact, that is our first step but in the interest of full disclosure, we are letting people know that this is an option that is available, we didn’t hide it,” he said.