Farmland distribution disturb No. 40 Village residents

Jan 31, 2015 News

Patrick Hamilton (center) flanked by members of the No. 40 Co-op Society Ltd.

Residents of No. 40 Village, West Coast Berbice, are concerned about what they feel is the unfair and unjust repossession of state farmlands by the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary/Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA). Many have owned the land for over 40 years.

Despite having paid off the outstanding debts, the members of No. 40 Co-op Society Ltd. are claiming that their farmlands were still repossessed and re-assigned to other residents in the area. This, according to the former land holders, was done without reasonable explanation by the MMA/ADA.

In a letter addressed to sections of the media, the residents stated that they were informed by Chairman of the MMA/ADA, Rudolph Gajraj that the repossession of land would be a last resort unless outstanding depts were paid off.

The letter continued to detail a June 2008 meeting with the then Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud. It informed farmers that they were allowed to pay at least 30 percent of debts owed to avoid repossession.

Patrick Hamilton, Chairman of the No. 40 Village Committee, explained that such payments were made by September last year, with farmers paying off up to 80 per cent of the debts owed.

As of the end of last June, the outstanding debts of No. 40 Co-op stood at $4,241,458 with the overall community paying $3,353,000 by last September.

However, despite this, residents of the area still had farmlands repossessed and reallocated. Even members of No. 40 Co-op like Randolph and William Hemerding, who paid their debt in full, lost lands which were granted to them by the government.

According to Hamilton, up to 50 percent of the No. 40 Village Co-op members followed the protocol outlined by officials, but those same members suffered the dispossession of lands, in October, despite occupying the area since 1972.

The villagers said that the reason for the dispossession was that members of the No. 40 Co-op had rented sections of the land to other villagers, which marked a breach in the state’s agreement.

Although this newspaper was made to understand that members who did not illegally lease lands and had paid off the balance owed, still had sections of their lands repossessed. Moreover, the members related that persons who did receive the newly re-distributed farmlands were also illegally renting portions of No. 40 Co-op.

Since occupying the area, the former landowners were adamant that they have never been accused of impropriety by any individual or institution.

In the case of Alison Moore, she owned approximately 30 acres of farmland before the re-distribution process, but ended up with 15 acres despite being guaranteed the full return of the acreage.

The MMA/ADA Chairman said that the reason for the repossession and reallocation of land, was due to the resident’s breach of the MMA/ADA agreement. He further clarified that the lands were not unfairly redistributed as they were given to other residents of No. 40 Village.