Rambharat says govt to close gap in state lands use

Despite the lengthy wait times for approvals for the use of state lands, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat has said the PNM administration is well positioned to “close the gap” regarding the administration of state lands.

Addressing ceremony for the distribution of land title at the Ministry’s Chaguanas administrative offices today, Rambharat cited the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway and the Guave Road, Chaguaramas farmers as two examples of extremely long wait times.

“This highway that has been traversed every day for more than 60 years, this highway has been built on lands that have not been completely acquired by the State as yet. The survey designs of the highway have not been redesigned to take into account that it passes through both private and state lands.”

He said the same applied to the Guave Road farmers, who have been waiting for approvals since 1988.

“Thirty years ago, February 1988, the CDA told the Guave Road farmers in a meeting that 'We’ve decided to finally regularise the occupation of the land and grant you leases.'

"Within a few months, the general manager of the CDA changed, and a position was taken that they were not going to honour the agreement, and another 30 years passed, and it fell to our administration – the Minister of Planning and myself – to finally make a decision that those lands occupied by the Guave Road farmers – 122.6 acres of land – will be excised from the CDA lands, subdividing it to the 16 farmers and their families who have had this 60-year claim.”