‘We have Chinese down there going in the people house, taking out their lifelong belongings, literally plucking out the people’s navel string and tossing it outside in a garbage bag. That cannot be how we treat people’ – Farley Augustine
By Sue-Ann Wayow
SEVEN families have been asked to immediately move out of their homes in Tobago without being paid the value for their lands.
The residents, including an elderly couple, live in Bon Accord and have been asked to relocate to make way for the expansion of ANR Robinson International Airport with one home targeted on Thursday.
Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Farley Augustine said such a decision was “uncaring, sacrilegious and an insult.”
Speaking in detail about the matter at the THA’s post-executive council media briefing on Thursday, Augustine said the media briefing was delayed because he was speaking to attorneys involved in the matter. THA officials also spent the day, speaking with residents.
He said last week, the families received notices that they were to move out by August 6 or they will be removed from the properties.
“The police in Tobago did reach out to me and indicated that they received their notice from the Commissioner of Police as per the request from the Commissioner of State Lands that they are to take action if the residents did not move,” Augustine said.
A meeting was held with the residents chaired by Deputy Chief Secretary Watson Duke and subsequently, the residents enlisted the assistance of attorneys and the matter was filed in court.
The THA,National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NIDCO), the Attorney General, the Commissioner of State Lands have all been named in the matter as the residents seek to have an injunction in any pending action.
Augustine said it was later discovered by means of council minutes that the THA under the previous administration, had taken a decision that in instances where people are elderly or sick or where persons cannot afford to rebuild or to be moved that the THA would take the responsibility to provide proper housing.
He said four houses were built, one was given out, and three abandoned in Shirvan Road and that he has no information why the other three were not distributed.
Augustine also questioned why three other houses were not built.
He said, “I have maintained an extremely firm position on this matter. It does not matter who sits in the chair. Number one, people need to be paid for their lands. The folks that are there still, these are residents that have not been paid for one reason or another. I find it uncaring that some how we will just move people out, put them out and they don’t have any monies in their pocket to move.”
The last time, the THA spoke with the residents’ attorneys, the attorneys indicated that they will be seeking to have a judge intervene.
“If you have a court case going on, the court gave about two more weeks for all named in the case to be able to file their responses to the affidavits of the residents and if that is ongoing before the Court, I cannot see how the Commissioner of State Lands could give instructions to break the people’s house down,” Augustine said.
He said, “If there are things which the THA, the past executive promised the people in the area that they will do to alleviate their pains and to make the transition better and those things were not delivered, then this new THA has to be given time to be able to make those promises a reality.”
Augustine also said that even if policy decisions for Tobago were decided by Central Government, the execution should be done by the THA which meant that resources should have been made available to the THA to build the airport.
He said he gave instructions to the senior state counsel to meet with the lawyers immediately and to chart a way in which the THA can intervene to assist the residents.
“It is sacrilegious, it is an insult. We have Chinese down there going in the people house, taking out their lifelong belongings, literally plucking out the people’s navel string and tossing it outside in a garbage bag. That cannot be how we treat people.” Augustine said.
He said residents were offered an average of a menial sum of $400,000.
“No piece of land down there is valued at $400,000 whatsoever,” the Chief Secretary said adding that the THA purchased 13 acres of land in Bacolet for $33 million and lands in Bon Accord would be more expensive.
He promised to stand by those affected by the expansion and will be further meeting with the necessary personnel after the media briefing.
“We will ensure that justice is served and that you are treated fairly,” Augustine promised.
He also emphasised that he was not against the development of the airport as it was needed but it must be done in a humane manner.
