Changes coming to squatting laws

AGRICULTURE Minister Clarence Rambharat says he will soon lay before Cabinet several proposed changes to the state land legislation, to allow other state agencies to issue notices and enforce proceedings to have people removed from state lands. He revealed this while speaking at a lease letter distribution ceremony at the ministry in Chaguanas on Tuesday.

Addressing the issue of the proliferation of squatting, Rambharat said there is a need for “legislative reform to make more efficient, the processes involved in the effective administration of state lands.

“What happens now is that only the Commissioner of State Lands – under the law – can deal with state lands in terms of issuing a squatting notice and commencing proceedings to have someone removed from state lands.” This was very bureaucratic and was concentrated in the hands of one office holder, he pointed out.

He said he would like to see that power given to the Land Settlement Agency “and maybe, in the devolution of power to corporations through the local government reform, to also have local government corporations with the power to deal with squatters – in their municipal boundaries – particularly on state lands.”

On the lease letter distribution, which gives recipients Cabinet approval to standard agricultural and residential leases for an initial period of 30 years, he said this was necessary as it was “very difficult to make a financial commitment” in the absence of an actual deed or any formal notification of the approval.

“When there is bad or dry weather, the farmers say to me that if they had their leases, they will be able to develop ponds, water storage and irrigation systems that are less reliant on water.

And in those instances where there is too much water, they say to me that they would have put in place their own infrastructure and drainage, as well as raise the low parts of their land, invest in protected agriculture and do things that will sustain them over the long term.”

He also touched on the recently amended trespass legislation saying this was done to protect both the State and private landowners. He cited the ban on the hunting of iguanas in the capital city, saying residents were often traumatised on seeing hunters chasing iguanas on their property. The trespass legislation was amended to include a fine of $50,000 and a jail term of ten years.