‘Who put up those signs. They have a series of questions to answer as that is clear evidence of an illegal land grab.’ – Phillip Edward Alexander
By Prior Beharry
THE Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries did not erect the recently installed signs in Wildflower Park, St Clair.
Political Leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) Phillip Edward Alexander, who first raised the issue about signs seeking to prohibit the use of the park, said he will not stop until he finds out who put them up.
In response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from Alexander, the Agriculture Ministry stated that no invoices existed for the purchase and installation of newly erected signs at Wildflower Park.
Speaking to AZP News on Monday, Alexander asked, “Who put up those signs. They have a series of questions to answer as that is clear evidence of an illegal land grab.”
When he filed the matter in April, Alexander had said, “We have raised a FOIA request with the Ministry of Agriculture. Since then, those bent on controlling that park put up misleading signs regarding pesticide treatment to scare the public away. ”
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Alexander also raised the issue of a security camera erected within the park to which he said police have admitted to being a breach of the law and they were awaiting instructions on how to proceed.
He also asked why the nearby Botanical Gardens and Queen’s Park Savannah did not have similar signs about pesticide treatment.
In response to the FOIA request, Alexander also received a list of the pesticides used in the park and a schedule of treatment since January 1, 2017.
The ministry also stated that no public warning notices either by print or social media existed between January 1, 2017, to present for the Royal Botanical Gardens, Wildflower Park or the Queen’s Park Savannah.
It stated that the Horticultural Services Division will normally cordon off the areas on the days when pesticides were being applied.
In a Facebook post on April 6, Alexander, who also posted a video, wrote, said, “These are the claims as are clearly visible on my video: 1) Private security officers chasing citizens from the park. 2) Sprinkler systems watering grass during a time of water restrictions to the general public. 3) A pole has been erected in the park with cameras aimed at (name deleted) house, with cables running underground under two pavements and the roadway that stops at (name deleted) house. I look forward to these three issues being investigated as promised here.’
The ministry subsequently issued a release stating, “The policy position of the ministry for persons wishing to use the Wildflower Park and the Botanical Gardens for any passive creational activities, for example large group gatherings or photo-shoots, is that they must first obtain written permission from the Horticultural Services Division prior to their scheduled date of the event.”
