Silk Cotton Trace residents claim Nidco seize lands on Christmas eve

A bulldozer clears a site just off Silk Cotton Trace, Bon Accord, on Saturday. The lands are being prepared for the start of construction on the ANR Robinson airport expansion project next month.
PHOTO BY DAVID REID. -
A bulldozer clears a site just off Silk Cotton Trace, Bon Accord, on Saturday. The lands are being prepared for the start of construction on the ANR Robinson airport expansion project next month. PHOTO BY DAVID REID. -

Residents of Silk Cotton Trace, Bon Accord, Tobago, fear their properties will be seized to make way for the construction of the ANR Robinson airport expansion project even though they are yet to finalise negotiations with the State for compensation.

This follows an incident on Thursday, Christmas eve, in which National Infrastructure Development Co (Nidco) workers entered a resident’s farm and began clearing the land with bulldozers.

The resident’s brother captured the incident on video and posted it on Facebook.

In the footage, the man accused the Government and Nidco of being high-handed in its approach.

“We have received no compensation package yet but they are invading upon us. Are we slaves on the land of our foreparents?” he asked.

“Is it that we are getting chased out from our rights and our properties.”

The man further claimed that all of the Government’s promises to the residents about the acquisition have fallen flat.

“All the promises they say they will do. They fail from all of the promises.

“They say they will give farmers land to continue their farming but nothing is in place. But they just come in this morning (Thursday) and bulldozing a fence here.”

He added: “Is only in Tobago they are allowed to do these things. In Trinidad, you don’t do these things because people will run them with gun and cutlass.”

However, a December 10 notice issued by the acting commissioner of state lands advised residents to turn over their properties to the State within seven days of receipt.

The notice said if they failed to do so legal action will be taken.

When Sunday Newsday visited Silk Cotton Trace on Saturday, a bulldozer was grading land in an area close to the TSTT tower.

The Government is expected to begin the project in January at a cost of $1.2 billion.

Of that sum, $870 million is to be spent on constructing the new terminal while $300 million has been allocated by the Government for the acquisition of some 53 acres of land between Store Bay Local Road and the airport perimeter fence in Bon Accord.

Lands at Shirvan and Cove estates are being prepared prepared for the residents.

The airport project, which has been awarded to China Railway Construction Caribbean Ltd, is expected to take one year.

But some residents claimed they are still in the dark about the acquisition process.

One resident at Crompston Trace, Silk Cotton Trace Ext, said a week before Christmas he was told by “people from central government in Trinidad” his family had seven days to vacate their home.“But how can we do that with no money and nowhere to go?” he asked. “And that was a week before Christmas.”

The father of two, who has lived in the area for the past 16 years, claimed other residents were also asked to leave their homes in seven days.

“Some of the residents complained to the police but the police said they (residents) have no choice.”

Another resident, he said, told him he had presented his deed for the land to the “people.

“But they are saying his land is already sold.”

The man’s wife said they cannot afford to leave their home without compensation.

Another villager, who claimed he saw the video, also believes Nidco acted high-handedly.

“You eh settle nothing with the people and yuh just barge in so. That is wrong,” he said, adding he is still in negotiations for his property.”

But one resident, who said he was compensated for his property, is hoping for a fresh start at Shirvan estate.

The man was busy removing items from his home when he spoke to Sunday Newsday.

He believes the residents, who are “fighting tooth and nail” to stay in their homes, are fighting a losing battle.

“You cannot fight the Government and plenty people settle already. You cannot resist change and they say it would be good for tourism,” the man said.

Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis said he could not comment until he was apprised of the specifics “of this particular situation.

“I am in the process of doing this that,” he said via Whatsapp.

Calls to the cellphone of Nidco chairman Herbert George also went unanswered.

At a political meeting on August 5 at Milford Plaza, Bon Accord, Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe advised residents to get suitable compensation for their properties.

She also said affected residents must be treated with dignity and respect.

“I expect and I support that my constituents be treated with respect and human dignity and they get the value for their property, each and every one of them,” Cudjoe had said.

She told the residents they should know their rights as property owners, adding they must also be reasonable when negotiating.

In a release, last month, the Ministry of Finance revealed 80 property owners had been compensated for their land.

At that time, it said the state had spent over $128 million to compensate property owners and acquire land for the terminal construction and other associated works.

The ministry said Nidco was continuing to issue payments of compensation through its land acquisition consultant ACQ & Associates to property owners.

It said property owners, who had settled with the state will be contacted by ACQ & Associates for the execution of legal indemnity agreements and collection of payments.

The ministry added the State will enter and take possession of settled empty lands as soon as compensation was paid.

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"Silk Cotton Trace residents claim Nidco seize lands on Christmas eve"

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