[UPDATED] Ex-Caroni workers protest in Couva for land

On Monday, scores of ex-employees of the now-defunct Caroni (1975) Ltd protested in front of Brechin Castle Estate in Couva.

They are calling on the Government to give lands owed to them as part of their Voluntary Separation of Employment Package (VSEP).

Since the company's closure in 2003, those affected said they have been waiting to get their residential lots and agricultural plots.

Chano Mahabir, 73, said she has been waiting for 19 years, during which time her husband died.

Mahabir said, "I come to protest for my land. It is 19 years we have been waiting and cannot get it yet. My husband died in 2003, and we cannot get our land up to now. We need it, we need it now. Some workers have already died. People have nowhere to live. The Prime Minister should do something and give us our lands."

Councillor for California/Point Lisas Ramchand Rajbal Maraj said he too has been awaiting his "VSEP entitlement." He said many affected workers are from his electoral district.

Maraj said, as the local government representative, people have been calling on him, with tears, on the issue.

"Fifty per cent of the workers have died. Where is the justice? How many more must die before people get their lands?" he asked.

"They (authorities) also said there should be no building on agricultural lands. But here, where the Prime Minister is expected to come, is agricultural lands."

The protest took place near to the Nutrimix Group of Companies Ltd’s Next Generation Hatchery at the corner of Rivulet and Captain Watson Roads, where Dr Rowley gave the feature address.

The disgruntled ex-workers said they were unaware that the PM was scheduled to attend the hatchery’s opening ceremony. They then took the protest to outside the hatchery. The vehicle Rowley was in drove past the group without stopping.

Another ex-worker, Stephen Ramkissoon said, like "everybody else" he is still waiting for his land.

"I have been running in circles over the years to get it, and nobody seems to care. Today about 50 per cent of the workers have passed away. We estimated that there are about 2,000 agricultural leases still to be distributed and about 4,000 residential," Ramkissoon said.

"We want to know the status of Caroni lands. We want information as to how long we have to wait again. This is not a handout, not a gift. It's an entitlement. We need answers."

Over the years, several ex-Caroni workers have been receiving the lands promised to them under the VSEP.

Speaking at the hatchery’s opening, Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat said when the government of the day was doing the Caroni VSEP in 2003, the question had always been what would have happened to "this 77,000 acres of land."

He said the 77,000 acres included private sugarcane lands, lands cultivated by Caroni (1975) Ltd, lands with recreation grounds, schools, temples, for commercial activities, and commercial facilities.

"The question was, how are we going to put the land to use. We have been very slow as a country in putting those lands to economic activity. We have tried to accelerate. The public investor interest is there."

He referred to the area that houses the new hatchery as only .006 per cent of Caroni Ltd’s lands.

Rambharat said, "This investment on a former parcel of cane land, just 50 acres, is .006 per cent of what Caroni owned in 2003."

He said while some people might accuse the Government of "giving away the land," the hatchery area is a small percentage.

The minister added, "Economic activity from this single site will be far more than Caroni was doing in 2003 when we took the decision to exit the sugar industry. So, this is not only a part of the past and an evolution of the history where this represents the cornerstone of the future of how we deal with land in Trinidad and Tobago."

He did not comment on the protest. Like the Prime Minister, he did not meet with the protesters.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

On Monday, scores of ex-employees of the now-defunct Caroni (1975) Ltd protested in front of Brechin Castle Estate in Couva.

They are calling on the Government to give lands owed to them as part of their Voluntary Separation of Employment Package (VSEP).

Since the company's closure in 2003, those affected said they have been waiting to get their residential lots and agricultural plots.

Chano Mahabir, 73, said she has been waiting for 19 years, during which time her husband died.

Mahabir said, "I come to protest for my land. It is 19 years we have been waiting and cannot get it yet. My husband died in 2003, and we cannot get our land up to now. We need it, we need it now. Some workers have already died. People have nowhere to live. The Prime Minister should do something and give us our lands."

Councillor for California/Point Lisas Ramchand Rajbal Maraj said he too has been awaiting his "VSEP entitlement." He said many affected workers are from his electoral district.

Maraj said, as the local government representative, people have been calling on him, with tears, on the issue.

"Fifty per cent of the workers have died. Where is the justice? How many more must die before people get their lands?" he asked.

"They (authorities) also said there should be no building on agricultural lands. But here, where the Prime Minister is expected to come, is agricultural lands."

The protest took place near to the Nutrimix Group of Companies Ltd’s Next Generation Hatchery at the corner of Rivulet and Captain Watson Roads, where Dr Rowley gave the feature address.

The disgruntled ex-workers said they were unaware that the PM was scheduled to attend the hatchery’s opening ceremony. They then took the protest to outside the hatchery. The vehicle Rowley was in drove past the group without stopping.

Another ex-worker, Stephen Ramkissoon said, like "everybody else" he is still waiting for his land.

"I have been running in circles over the years to get it, and nobody seems to care. Today about 50 per cent of the workers have passed away. We estimated that there are about 2,000 agricultural leases still to be distributed and about 4,000 residential," Ramkissoon said.

"We want to know the status of Caroni lands. We want information as to how long we have to wait again. This is not a handout, not a gift. It's an entitlement. We need answers."

Over the years, several ex-Caroni workers have been receiving the lands promised to them under the VSEP.