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Lands returned to Region Five Farmers after battle with former REO
The farmers at a meeting with AG Anil Nandlall on Friday.
Several plots of lands which were taken away from cash crop farmers by former Region Five Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ovid Morrison, have been returned.
The lands were returned last Saturday following an executive decision. Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, said that while in opposition, the Government made a promise to the cash-crop farmers of Region Five, particularly, Fort Wellington and environs to return to them the lands that were taken away.
Nandlall had previously represented the farmers in several court proceedings and had secured judgment in excess of $5M against Morrison.
On Saturday, Minister Nandlall, along with a team from the Government, met with the farmers and informed them that they can once again return to the lands.
“I am here to tell you that we have instructed the RDC (Regional Democratic Council) to put you back on the land but it will have to be done in a processed way. Each of you will get a plot of land in this vicinity,” he announced.
Nandlall however reminded the farmers that the land ultimately belongs to the state hence they should not attempt to sell to others. “None of you own it, so none of you can sell it; you are going to get permission to occupy and farm and that was the original agreement,” he said.
Over the past four years, a number of proceedings were brought against Morrison for his illegal occupation of the lands.
The farmers had complained to the Court that Morrison and his agents wrongfully and unilaterally decided to enter upon the said land and cut down or caused to be cut down and removed cash crops and cleared a portion of the land with a bulldozer damaging certain cash crops including sweet peppers, lettuce, eschalot, plantain, banana and callaloo.
Despite orders to cease and desist, the farmers claimed that Morrison and his agents continued to flatten other portions of the lands using excavators causing more damage to their valuable crops.
They had also claimed that Morrison and his posse destroyed two farmhouses, made out of wood, which are collectively valued at $1M. As a result, the farmers claimed that they suffered grave losses.
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