'Premature' eviction letter traumatises Tobago family

A "premature" eviction notice has left one Crown Point resident unable to sleep and suffering chest pains. Although the letter was retracted a day later, Wolwin Lovell, 58, told Newsday the trauma of being told by the State to vacate his property within seven days, or face legal action, lingers.

Lovell was among a group of nine residents who were served eviction letters from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Land Management Division through the Commissioner of State Lands on Thursday. The residents' properties are being acquired by the State as part of the ANR Robinson International Airport expansion project.

Lovell was told in his letter that he was “duly compensated” but continues to occupy the space.

However, on Friday the ministry in a release said the letters were sent out "prematurely and violated an undertaking given to affected residents." It said an agreement was made for residents to have further discussions for two to three weeks before the acquisition process resumed. During this time residents would provide further documentation and information to the Commissioner of State Lands. The agreement was made after a December 1 townhall meeting with Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe.

Lovell said his family is traumatised.

The Crompstain Trace resident described the situation as a slap in the face.

“They say they are not ready to negotiate but they leave Trinidad to come up (Tobago) Thursday, came onto my property and served me a notice… Every time we to go commissioner of state lands to start negotiations they say they are not dealing with that part.

“This has traumatised us so much, my entire family and all the residents have been unable to sleep since Thursday...I’m taking tablets..this is causing me to have pain in my chest like never before. The reality is, who feels it knows it but I trust in God and I’m praying that he sees us through.”

He said he has approached his lawyers and he was instructed to take a copy of his deed to the Nidco’s Tobago office on Monday morning and speak to the commissioner of state lands.

Lovell said he is hurt by the way the residents are being treated.

“They don’t care about the people. There is a policy in Trinidad that even a squatter in the drain with a piece of ply board would be compensated with land and money.”

He said attempts to have the Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis advocate for the residents were futile.

“We asked the chief secretary to set up a policy that would cater to all those who are affected, even those who are squatting for years. But here and the lands at Shirvan and Cove are nowhere near completed.”

Lovell claimed workmen have already entered his premises.

“In and around me presently, two big excavators is operating and it is very painful.”

Lovell said he has no plans to leave his home without fair compensation. “We aren’t going anywhere until there is a settlement where they show us that we will be going from one place to the other."

Chair of Provide Equitable Compensation for Everyone (PEECE) group, Rhonda Hackett said the government has failed to keep its promises and the THA has failed to protect affected residents.

“I do know this is what the Prime Minister wanted. He did indicate that covid19 or no covid19 he will be going full steam ahead. So we are seeing a fulfilment of those words.”

Hackett said the residents are being disrespected and disregarded.

Referring to the retracted letter she said residents are being treated inhumanely, "by telling them seven days before Christmas they should move out to 'neveruary' lands and how yuh hang yuh swing."

She added, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Attempts to reach Nidco chairman Hubert George on Sunday were unsuccessful.

The expansion of the airport terminal building is expected to begin in January. Consultation for the project began in 2018 and the government promised all affected residents fair and just compensation with adequate time to move.

Lands at Cove and Shirvan have been cleared for those affected. In July Secretary for the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment Kwesi Des Vignes said the lands for the displaced residents would be handed over to the airport relocation committee in August. This did not happen.

Des Vignes told the media during a post-Executive Council media briefing in October, lands at Shirvan are 98 per cent complete and those at Cove are 90 per cent complete.

He said utilities are not ready yet and the contractors are installing the finishing touches for the sewer system at Shirvan.

Asked for an update on Thursday, Des Vignes said no new information is available.

The State is acquiring 53 acres of land between Store Bay Local Road and the ANR Robinson Airport perimeter fence in the Bon Accord area for the $1.2 billion project. Sixty-five property owners have settled compensation packages with the State, worth $104 million. The National Infrastructure Development Co Ltd (Nidco) has borrowed $300 million to facilitate the compensation of property owners and occupiers of lands.