Court dismisses bid to stop land acquisition for Tobago airport

THE High Court on Friday gave the green light for the State to continue acquiring lands in Crown Point and surrounding areas for the expansion of the $1.2 billion ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert confirmed the court’s decision in a post on Twitter.

This means that the remaining families living in Zone D of the site earmarked for acquisition will now have to quickly vacate their properties to facilitate the project.

The court dismissed the applications made occupiers of the land needed for the construction of the new airport terminal, including applications for an injunction. The applicants were Horace Henry, Beverly Henry, Andre Anthony, Arlon Alexander, Owen Melville, Cole Percy and Daniel Mc Dougal.

The court, however, ordered the State to provide rental support between $15,000 and $48,000 to five of the claimants by Thursday, and provide storage for six months to March 10, 2023 for six of the complaints at either the Nipdec warehouse in Shaw Park or any other location.

Sunday Newsday visited several families in Crompston Trace, off Silk Cotton Trace, on Saturday, but they declined comment.

One man would only say, “We are just trying to get ourselves organised.”

The court’s decision came a day after Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the THA was supporting a six-month extension that the affected residents requested.

On August 26, residents in Zone D were given until September 15 to vacate their properties but had asked for an additional six months.

Augustine, at Thursday’s post Executive Council media briefing, said the THA agreed with the extension, “because that will allow us the opportunity to, in the most humane way, facilitate people being moved.”

But he noted the state agencies in Trinidad had not agreed with the six-month extension.

Augustine said during that period they would have been able to complete the works at Cove and Shirvan estates, which have been earmarked for displaced residents.

He said the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Public Utilities is working assiduously to complete work on both developments.

Augustine reiterated the THA is not against the expansion of the airport.

“We agree, we do need a new terminal. However, we feel strongly that the residents must be treated fairly, they must be compensated fairly and they must be given sufficient time in which they can move.”

But he said some of the residents had agreed on some of the compensation they are to be given while others still regard the sums being offered as insufficient.

Augustine could not be reached for comment on Saturday and Bon Accord/Crown Point area representative Joel Sampson said he had no comment to make in the matter.

On August 11, the State attempted to evict two families from their homes as it moved to acquire properties for the project.

Terrell Percy’s belongings were removed from his house and placed on the side of the road.

But the THA quickly intervened and the process was stopped pending the outcome of a court hearing.

At that time, Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe said the State had paid out more than $210 million to people whose properties were being acquired for the airport expansion project.

She said 115 property owners within zones A, B and C had already negotiated and settled with the State and a further seven were partially settled through advance payments (to the tune of 80 per cent of the property value).

“That’s 122 persons who have accepted settlement."