State land survey delays police probe of Jamaat case

THE investigation into alleged land-grabbing by the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen at Mucurapo Road, St James, has hit a snag as a requested survey of the parcel of land is yet to be completed.

Sunday Newsday spoke with Commissioner of State Lands Bhanmatie Seecharan and was told that the director of surveys was yet to survey the land, which houses both the Jamaat and the Port of Spain City Corporation's Transport Yard.

During the stay-at-home restrictions in the height of the covid19 response, the unit was deemed non-essential. Its employees were sent home since March 30, and only returned to work on June 8.

Police sources said the investigation is “highly technical” and they are awaiting the demarcation zone to verify the owner of the land allegedly being impinged on. The senior officer added that they noticed the recent encroachment on once-unused landsby the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen, which triggered the police investigation. Police said officers attached to the Special Branch are actively investigating the alleged land-grabbing. Officers assigned to the elite unit began their probe after a section of land behind the mosque was cleared and backfilled recently.

Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat told Sunday Newsday in May that he had been informed of the development and in turn informed his colleague National Security Minister Stuart Young. Rambharat said then that both Seecharan and the Director of Surveys were instructed to survey the area so that the Commissioner of State Lands can deal with the various occupants. He added that it was a Cabinet decision to have the land surveyed.

Rambharat said: “The office of the Commissioner of State Lands has been dealing with this matter for several years. The substantive commissioner, Ms Paula Drakes, had at least one meeting with the Jamaat and the City Corporation, which is also an occupant. I think that was in 2017. The commissioner needs to identify, by survey, what is happening on the lands and also determine the extent and nature of the use – including time period of use – and from there decisions would have to be taken.”

History of the land dispute

The Jamaat-al-Muslimeen, was responsible for the failed 1990 coup. The attempted coup was in part triggered by a similar situation when the State got involved in a supposed land grab by the religious sect at the time. A 1969 Cabinet note granted the Islamic Missionaries Guild the right to occupy lands at No 1 Mucurapo Road, St James, with the understanding that an Islamic cultural centre would be built there.

In 1972, the Jamaat replaced the Islamic Guild on the 8.8 acres of land. Of that, 3.4 acres belonged to the City Corporation. Without any official documentation showing the property had been transferred, the corporation accepted rates and taxes from the Jamaat for the property.

Notices were served on the Jamaat, but the only action taken against the group was in 1984, for trespassing. The City Corporation then offered the Jamaat a 25-year lease with the option to renew for another 25 years, which it later accepted.

On June 21, 1990, just over a month before the attempted coup, leader of the Jamaat, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr wrote to the City Corporation seeking regularisation and accepted the 25-year lease.

During the 2012 commission of enquiry into the 1990 attempted coup, Deoraj Ramtahal, city engineer, and building inspector at the time of the coup, testified that he had advised the corporation about the land-grab by the Jamaat..

Ramtahal wrote about the illegal occupation of the land by the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen in October 1987. During the testimony the commission learnt that a notice had been served on the Jamaat for illegal construction activity.

Ramtahal testified that rates and taxes could be paid by anyone, but receipt of payment would be in the owner's name. There was no recorded testimony of who the owner was.

The commission was also told that in October 1987, the Jamaat applied for permission to build a school. The application was made on the premise of securing 8.8 acres of land. An April 14, 1989 report by Ramtahal said illegal structures were being built on the land.

A year later, and one month after the July 27 attempted coup, the corporation responded to the report and issued the Jamaat with a 14-day cease-and-desist notice.​

In 2003, the State paid the Jamaat $625,000 in settlement for the destruction of the organisation’s property during the 1990 coup attempt.