NDC destroys houses in Region Three

Jan 24, 2009 News

– houses were on Government reserves – Regional Chairman

The National Democratic Council (NDC) of Parika yesterday descended upon residents who had been occupying sections of Government reserves, just off of the main road in Parika, and began to demolish the structures they had erected.

The NDC workers demolishing one of the houses along the Parika Public Road.

Newly elected NDC Chairman Krishna Samlall pointed out that notices had been served on these residents more than one week ago, informing them that they needed to remove their structures.
Some of the residents had complied and had removed their edifices, but others had not done so, and as such the NDC was forced to take action. The NDC reportedly began its demolition work at approximately 8:00 hours yesterday morning.
One of the defaulters, Raj Bisessar, apparently stood by his structure as workers of the NDC came to demolish it. According to bystanders, the NDC’s police escort asked Bisessar to move, and he said that he would not move. Bisessar was then placed in the Parika Police Station lockups until the NDC workers had finished their demolition work late in the afternoon.
According to Bisessar’s mother, Veronica Bisessar, her son had been occupying the Government reserve for more than 30 years. He recently moved to a new house adjacent to the plot of land in question, and had begun to rent the land to a church group.
“He was renting the building, and was using the money to help pay his mortgage on the new house,” said a bystander.
The NDC Chairman noted that four different families had removed their structures by themselves, and one shop owner had removed part of his shop.
Samlall said that the houses which were being demolished would make way for a four-foot walkway that would allow children and persons living in the area behind the Parika Public Road clear and easy access to the main road, without having to walk through mud.
He also added that Parika was on the verge of becoming a full fledged township, and it was not acceptable to have such dismal conditions in a town.
“We want to develop and clear up Parika, and make it a good place to live,” said the Chairman. “I want people living in Parika to do the right thing, so that we can together make Parika a nice place to live.”
At the same time, Samlall said, while he was facilitating the removal of the structures, all of the material remained the property of their owners and was being taken away and stored according to their instructions. “It is still their wood,” Samlall said. “They can use it to put up their own structures, as long as it is not on Government reserve lands.”
Rum shop owner Sasenarine Ramday, who had to remove a portion of his establishment from the Government reserve, said that he had no problem demolishing the section of his shop which occupied the Government reserve land, since he was given prior notice by the NDC and knew that he had to demolish that section of his shop.
He said, “We need development in Parika. Our children need education. They can’t be made to walk in mud for all their lives.”
With this in mind, he said, he welcomed the walkway. He added that it would help the residents who lived in the back of Parika.
At the same time, the friends and family of Raj Bisessar expressed frustration. They maintained that Raj had never received any notice that said he needed to clear the Government reserve. Even though the land was Government reserve, the Bisessar family had taken care of the land for more than thirty years, one observer said.
They said that they had some rights to the land, an idea which the NDC Chairman refuted. “Just because you take care of the land doesn’t mean it belongs to you. Claiming Government reserve land as your own is illegal.”
However, Raj’s reputed wife, Gaitrie Rupie, said that the entire episode confused her, as she and her husband had paid rates and taxes on the property in question for ten years.
Rupie added that they received both telephone and electricity bills when they resided in the structure on the land in question. The receipt of these bills, she said, legitimized their occupancy of the reserve, and they should be allowed to remain on the land.
She also raised the question of the taxes that had been paid on the land. “Why did they take the money I paid in taxes if I am living on the Government’s land and I am not supposed to be here?” she asked.