Hosein promises efficiency, quicker land titles

NEWLY named Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein said bringing all issues regarding land under one ministry will lead to a quicker, efficient, transparent and accountable distribution of state lands and regularisation of tenure.

On October 4, it was announced in the Gazette that Hosein, in addition to his responsibilities as Minister of Legal Affairs, will now be responsible for matters relating to lands and surveys, land management, regularisation of tenure/housing for squatters, surveys and mapping, valuation, Land Settlement Agency, Land Survey Board of TT, and the Estate Management And Business Development Company.

Speaking to Newsday on October 6, Hosein described the move as a realignment rather than a reshuffle.

“Upon assuming office, I was placed in varying ministries, one being the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, and then the Ministry of Legal Affairs. In our first 100 days we would have been able to deliver 200 leases for ex-Caroni workers, something that was not done over the last decade.

“The Prime Minister had asked previously for recommendations on how we can align our ministry to make it more efficient and more effective. I identified certain areas in which we could have streamlined the proper distribution of land and management and security land tenure for the citizens of TT.”

Hosein said prior to this, there were three ministries that dealt with land issues in TT.

“The Ministry of Legal Affairs deals with the registration of the titles; the Ministry of Agriculture deals with being the custodian of the state lands through the Office of the Commissioner of State Lands; and the Ministry of Finance, where the valuation division is placed, dealing with the values of lands which will determine the prices of the leases, etc.

“This leads to three levels of red tape and bureaucracy. Placing all those divisions and departments under one ministry now creates an umbrella organisation where all of the processes are now streamlined for effective, efficient management of lands and also the distribution of those lands and securing land tenure.”

Hosein said this move would also minimise or eliminate the appearance of irregularity long associated with land transactions in TT.

“Putting all of these departments in charge of state lands under one umbrella ministry would now be able to have proper oversight over each step or process, so therefore it provides a more accountable and transparent system going forward.

Hosein congratulated the Prime Minister on having the wisdom to make the move, based on her experience as legal affairs minister and having piloted bills on squatter regularisation.

He also said the public servants involved were on board with the move.

“After consultations with the public servants, they are very excited about this particular move because they understand that this is something that the public service has been asking for, for many years and it’s finally happening before their eyes. So we can see a quicker, efficient, transparent and accountable distribution of State Lands and regularisation of tenure.”

Hosein also gave an update on the issue of land title in Tobago. On August 24, he told Newsday he had met with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine to discuss the issue.

“I asked for an update from my ministry today and we are in the process of getting more staff at the Registrar General’s Department to ensure that we can have the applications for lands brought under the real property act expedited and therefore more people can have title to lands in a very quick manner.

“The Chief Secretary has already indicated to me that he has placed resources or allocated or assigned resources to various divisions within the THA to also work in a collaborative effort to have Tobagonians secure their title.”