Land for d landless

[lou_uk]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161210005

Alliance vows to assist the 'landless'

-Driselle Ramjohn


Monday, October 1st 2007


Three days before the general elections, the United National Congress Alliance (UNC-A) will launch its Right to Land Agency to provide free legal representation for the "landless" people of Trinidad and Tobago.

UNC-A council member Stephen Cadiz made the announcement on Saturday evening at a UNC-A "Making Your Home a Reality" meeting at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya.

Cadiz said the agency would officially be launched at the Centre's Ken Galt Hall on November 2 and for a membership fee of $1 citizens could access the services of the agency.

"Why are we establishing that? How many of you can fight City Hall as they say, who has the money to fight City Hall? Who has the time? Who has the expertise?" Cadiz asked.

He added that this agency would assist squatters (who he referred to as the landless) who were unaware of their rights with respect to the land they occupied and as part of the UNC-A policy of "land for the landless".

The establishment of this agency, he said, was catalysed by the recent demolition of homes of people in Bagatelle, Diego Martin and the government's proposed relocation of squatters in Malik, Sea Lots, Bonaire North, Cumana Toco and other locales around the country.

The head office for the agency will be located in Port of Spain with sub offices in South, Central and East Trinidad, Cadiz said.

Deputy political leader of the UNC-A Jack Warner said that with the agency, "we shall no longer fight one by one, we will fight together. If you touch one in Bagatelle, you touch one in Toco. You touch one, you touch all".

"When we were in power we gave land and you can check the records we never destroyed not one house, not one home," Warner added.

The agency will have a cadre of lawyers working pro bono on the cases, there will be a justice of the peace and administrative staff to assist with the provision of legal documentation and filing, all of which Warner said will be free.

UNC-A council member Carson Charles, who also spoke at the event said that the political party will ensure that there was a regularisation of all issues of people occupying State lands and even though occupying private lands.


For all those who have a problem with the current housing drive, here's another option. :mrgreen:

[brag]

As long as Mr. Panday is associated in any little way with any political party, it is doomed to failure. He may have been a robust politician, but that alone is not enough to win the support of decent people. He must demonstrate a little culture regardless of who he is opposing.

[Scorpio]

Right to Land ??

What de hell is that ?

Is this Trinidad or Zimbabwe?

[serenity]

I prefer the PNM method of addressing the housing shortage - housing that is planned and controlled and in part, earned. I do not endorse haphazard squatter developments all over the country. And for those who have legal rights over the property bec of how long they've lived there, their title can be sorted out through Legal Aid, not so? Or why not make provisions for persons to talk to an HDC attorney who will advise them accordingly?

[brag]

A good land distribution policy is needed, not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but every where around the globe. Anyone who cultivates land and can show productivity per acreage should be rewarded with a subsidy as a matter of national policy. The logistics for the subsidy can be worked out.

[jacques]

Regularising squatters is only encouraging more squatters and uncontrolled development. Some of us have to buy land. I completely fail to see why anyone should get land for free...

[Scorpio]

^^^ because they have a right to land, according to teh UNCA. :roll:

[jacques]

Is is not yet again encouraging the "slave mentality" we all seem to suffer from, perpetuating a system where your success and your accumulation of material possessions is not a function of how much you are contributing but rather of how "close" you are to the powers that be, who will then bestow "favours"?

There is in Trinidad a fundamental misunderstanding of what representative democracy is about. This is why none of the political parties are running on a real political platform, but rather a list of "favours" (most of which have consistently failed to materialise) to "bribe" the electorate with.

The electorate in Trinidad is a donkey, motivated only by carrots (land for all, water for all, houses for all, etc...) and sticks (if those of a different complexion or with different hair win, then that is the end of everything as you know it....). And as goverments change nothing changes. None of the promises materialised for any group, no matter whether "their people" were in power or "the other people" were in power.

[Scorpio]

A responsibile government would offer carrots to work harder, like for example a promise of no new taxes Instead, they discouraging people from working harder because is one set ah freeness, supported by the tax dollars of those who continue to work hard. :evil:

[serenity]

Is is not yet again encouraging the "slave mentality" we all seem to suffer from, perpetuating a system where your success and your accumulation of material possessions is not a function of how much you are contributing but rather of how "close" you are to the powers that be, who will then bestow "favours"?

There is in Trinidad a fundamental misunderstanding of what representative democracy is about. This is why none of the political parties are running on a real political platform, but rather a list of "favours" (most of which have consistently failed to materialise) to "bribe" the electorate with.

The electorate in Trinidad is a donkey, motivated only by carrots (land for all, water for all, houses for all, etc...) and sticks (if those of a different complexion or with different hair win, then that is the end of everything as you know it....). And as goverments change nothing changes. None of the promises materialised for any group, no matter whether "their people" were in power or "the other people" were in power.

Excellent post.

[trevor]

I am totally against this land for the landless crap, when you know the end result would be shanty towns. I am originally from Gonzales I grew up there in the 70's it was a nice community until 1978 -1979 .Two main events impacted our community the volcanic eruption in St Vincent & the Grenada revolution these events brought a flood of people to Trinidad and they had no place to live so the came to Gonzales and other areas to live and they built the shacks that are on the surrounding hillsides.I am not against other West Indian people but these are the facts our communities eventually became slums. I will never forget my grandmother's words these people will devalue our properties, with their latrines indiscriminate dumping of garbage and it's the whole ghetto mentality that comes with. Gonzales was never a slum we need to take back our communities.

[Scorpio]

^^ doh worry, this "land for de landless" talk is probably just electioneering crap anyway.

[gaia]

Politicians will do anything to win elections. It is illegal/immoral to squat on someones land and then recieve a "letter of comfort" from a government making it legal. Thats encouraging lawlessness and no respect for the rightful owner? Is it the same with state owned land or are the squatters removed. In which developed country this type of lawlessness is encouraged. Do tell! Time out politicians wake up to the monsters they are creating in the nation!!

[Scorpio]

^^^ yes Gaia, this is like that other monster that opposition politicians created, if yuh ent have a job, the government forcing yuh to go out and be a bandit. steups

[serenity]

I dont think that regularising existing squatters will encourage more squatting provided the govt takes a no tolerance approach to newcomer squatters. Some of these ppl have been on that land for generations. To just throw them out now would not be right. I think the law says that if u have been squatting for 16 years then u are the beneficial owner of the property. So its not every johnny come lately will be entitled to land. Regularising would give ppl their due according to the law. But like I said, I prefer the PNm's apprach of planned housing which may entail moving the squatters to a more conducive location for community development.

[lou_uk]

^^ doh worry, this "land for de landless" talk is probably just electioneering crap anyway.

The COP leader said the same thing a few weeks aback. It only becomes an issue when it is reported in the news (print or otherwise) and people voice negative responses. Supporter's were cheering wildly. Mr Dookeran declared "land for the landless" (which is part of John Humphrey's backward housing policy) annointing himself "the squatter's politician".

Nobody heard?

[lou_uk]

provided the govt takes a no tolerance approach to newcomer squatters.

The UNCA cannot take a hard line like this. They are making loose statements hoping that the lawlessness will bring them votes they never had before.

[slick]

I think it's a good idea. As long as it's executed properly, it will benefit many citizens of T&T.
A $495,000.00 mortgage from TTMF for 30 years is not nice at all. You end up paying close to $1.2M back which means your interest is something like $700.000.00!!! More than the actual amount borrowed!!! :o
Land for the landless and a building loan sounds a lot better than 30 years of bondage.

[Solachica]

I heard some one in the UNC united talk abt getting land from private lands for people who been squatting there. I was thinking now any1 cud come on my private land and squat and then they wud expect to get regularised? :roll:
Why do some people always want wht they haven't earned.
It's like when people were squatting in the Reserve state lands and abt 2 mths ago the Govt dereserved(if there is such a thing) acres for the squatters. I think it was in Windy Hill.
I know where the state lands are I better go put up a 10*10 and get free land from the state oui :roll:

[Scorpio]

Why do some people always want wht they haven't earned.


Bec politicians does tell them they have a right to it. :roll:

[BW]

Panday and dem doh care one jail about how it effect de country. Dem goh say anything tuh get back in power.

[citizen]

It is quite simple really. Scratch my back (give me your vote) and I will scratch yours (give you someone else's land). Or vice versa. In any case, land for votes or votes for land is the name of the game. This "land" donation can be extended to any tangible entity, such as jobs or housing.

[citizen]

Double post

[vaio]

Panday and dem doh care one jail about how it effect de country. Dem goh say anything tuh get back in power.

Ditto