By Sue-Ann Wayow
FED up with lack of meetings and negotiations, the ex-Caroni workers still awaiting their promised lands will not be seeking any more meetings with Government.
And legal action is being considered.
Led by business consultant Davica Thomas, of the Re-United Farmers Group, said to Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Kazim Hosein that until it was decided to fulfil all the farmers’ issues stated in letters previously written then the group will meet with him.
On Wednesday, while fiery road protests continued in Moruga and Claxton Bay, the farmers visited the ministry’s head office in Chaguanas in a “peaceful lobby” hoping to attract the minister’s attention and deliver a final letter to the minister asking him to address their concerns.
They were later joined by several activists and leaders of other groups including, David Abdullah, Phillip Edward Alexander, Herbert Volney, Nalini Dial and others.
The farmers have held several protests hoping to get the attention of the authorities including Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
Thomas told AZP News that she last spoke with Hosein on Tuesday who said he could not attend a meeting on Wednesday as requested and “he was looking for the right people” to form a committee to deal with the farmers’ issues.
However, she said, “Since March 16, when he became minister, we wrote to him four times. From then till now, he cannot arrange a time to meet with us. He is meeting with everybody else but not with us.”
Thomas said, “He did let me know that he would not be able to make the meeting on Wednesday but we still decided to go. We were told that he was not in office.”
Apart from the issue of outstanding lands, the farmers wants other issues addressed including:
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Farmers land tenure;
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Payments of outstanding farmers subsidy;
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The writing off, of all farmers loans payments to the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB);
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To Subsidize 30 % of fertilizer for all farmers; and
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The settlement for all ex-Caroni workers.
