Opposition and Housing minister to seek solution for Timehri North residents

Nov 05, 2013 News

A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Joe Harmon yesterday disclosed that his party, along with Housing Minister Irfaan Ali are currently in talks to decide the best solution to the situation of the Timehri North residents, who are facing removal as the extension at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) continues.
Harmon told Kaieteur News that a household survey is currently being done, which is likely to bring about a new approach. By the end of the week residents are expected to be informed what would be the next step for them.
Two weeks ago Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that the issues surrounding the destruction of several acres of farmlands by Chinese workers from the China Harbour Engineering Company currently undertaking the CJIA extension project were out of his hands.
Last month, Chinese workers destroyed several acres of crops belonging to farmers at Timehri. The crops were said to be worth millions of dollars. After the incident, the Minister had expressed dismay at the reports.
Yesterday the Minister said that he was told that the farmers had several notices served on them before the workers came to the area.
Ramsammy said that from what he was told the farmers were “squatting” on the land and once that’s the case they cannot remain there. “If they are squatting then told to leave the land, you cannot put permanent crops there,” the minister said. He urged the farmers to recognize that they were squatting and at some point in time they would have had to move.
This newspaper was told that the workers came with excavators to level the land, but residents protested. The workers eventually called in the police who instructed the residents to remove. The workers returned the following morning and began excavating the area. Recently Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said that some 70 house lots are being sought for Timehri North residents, who are in the immediate path of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) extension project.
Benn had stated that the housing process is being facilitated by the CJIA. He said that airport officials and the Public Works Ministry have already written to the Housing Ministry for 70 house lots which would be given to those persons immediately affected by the airport’s extension.
Back in April, the authorities at the country’s only International Airport were stymied by the decision of the National Assembly to cut funding for its extension plan by $5.3 billion and were uncertain about the status of the project.
The Opposition, in effecting the budget cut, had argued that the government has been less than transparent on the extension plan for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

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Opposition and Housing minister to seek solution for Timehri North residents

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