Response on the Service of Nine (9) Notices to Quit concerning Four Parcels of Land required for Tobago Airport Expansion Project

Last night (Thursday 10^th December, 2020),  it was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries that nine (9) Notices to Quit signed by the Commissioner of State Lands were served in respect of Four Parcels of Land required for Tobago Airport Expansion Project.

The service of those Notices in that specific area known as Block D was premature and violated an undertaking given to affected residents, that during the 2-3 week period after December 1, 2020, further discussions will be held with affected persons before the acquisition process continued.

This undertaking was given because of concerns expressed by affected residents at a December 1, 2020 Town Hall meeting hosted by Shamfa Cudjoe, Member of Parliament (MP), in particular concerns that residents wished to provide further documents and information to the Commisisoner of State Lands as part of the land acquisition process.

While the Ministry is mindful that the Notices are part of the formal acquisition process for lands in the Crompstan area in Tobago and some of this land was previously acquired and paid for by the State in and after 1996, the undertaking given in December 1, 2020 should not have been broken. Instructions given to the Commisisoner of State Lands were premature.

In this regard, the Commissioner of State Lands has agreed to allow the affected residents to provide information and documents they wish to and, the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the line Ministry of the Commissioner of State Lands, will pursue open dialogue with all affected residents as part of the formal acquisition process.

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Agriculture Ministry Investigating Corrupt Practices in State Lands

November 25, 2020:- Agriculture Minister, Clarence Rambharat said that the Ministry is taking significant steps to deal with the widespread issue of corruption on State Lands. The Minister made these remarks as he addressed recipients at a Lease Letter Distribution Ceremony on Tuesday 24^th November, 2020, at the MALF Head Office in Chaguanas. He added too, that the Ministry’s staff was working closely with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), and is hopeful that very soon, there will be a significant breakthrough, in relation to the matter of fraud with State Lands.

On the issue of the status of lands at Caroni 1975 Limited, the Minister pointed to two (2) reports which indicates that overall, there are approximately 5,000 Caroni, two (2) acre parcels made up of 10,000 or more acres of lands, which are leased for agricultural purposes but are not being used for the intended purpose. This is a serious concern, and one which requires urgent attention, he said. The Estate Management and Business Development Company Limited (EMBD) currently occupies about 3,200 plots at Caroni 1975 Limited, and he said that he has since instructed the Commissioner of State Lands (COSL) to serve the appropriate notices in order to recover those lands which are not being cultivated.

With respect to creating spaces for farmers to sell their produce, Minister Rambharat said that this was very important, and that there has been tremendous benefits when it comes to the farmers’ market. He subsequently announced that very soon, the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO), will be opening its new location at the Corinth Teacher’s College in San Fernando.

At the Lease Letter Distribution Ceremony, fourteen (14) persons received letters from the Agriculture Ministry. The Letters conveyed Cabinet’s approval to grant farmers standard agricultural leases for an initial period of thirty (30) years. It now enables them to engage public agencies and institutions to conduct business in respect to their agricultural parcels.

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Minister Rambharat: State Lease process moving faster

November 25, 2020:- State leases are being expedited “far quicker” than they were five (5) years ago. Such was the assurance of Senator the Honourable, Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, as he addressed recipients at a Lease Letter Distribution Ceremony on Tuesday 24th November, 2020, at the Ministry’s Rio Claro Demonstration Station in Ecclesville, where Lease Letters were distributed to five (5) farmers.

Explaining the different stages in acquiring a State Lease following the receipt of a Lease Letter, the Minister noted that while there was still some way to go for the final preparation of the lease, the overall time lines had been significantly shortened. He further added, that the process was moving far quicker than it was five (5) years ago when he was first appointed. The Minister said that he was very pleased by the overall strides made and still continues to ask the Director of Surveys, the Commissioner of State Lands and the Chief State Solicitor, to move as quickly as possible, with these files, so as to ensure expediency by the Agriculture Ministry which conducts the business on behalf of its farmers.

Minister Rambharat also underscored the State’s responsibility and commitment to enforce its land covenants. On this note, he urged all agricultural lease recipients to maintain their requisite cultivation levels and operate within their legal perimeters, when it came to the construction of building structures on these parcels.

Also attending the ceremony were the Agricultural Officer for the Nariva / Mayaro County, Mrs. Florencia Beckles-Gangaram and Agricultural Assistant III (Ag.) for the Nariva / Mayaro State Lands Division, Mrs. Gabrielle Andrews-Derrell.

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Issuance of State Game Licences for the 2020-2021 Hunting Season

The Conservator of Forests/Chief Game Warden wishes to advise that the hunting of designated wildlife can   commence on Friday 4^th December, 2020 once legal requirements are complied with. This is consistent with the Government’s announcement on Saturday 21^st November, 2020 on hunting. State Game Licences will be sold in Trinidad from tomorrow, (Tuesday November 24^th, 2020) between the hours of 8:00 am and 2:00 pm, Monday to Friday at the following Forestry Division Offices:

§  Long Circular Road, St. James	§  Rio Claro
§  San Fernando	§  Sangre Grande
§  Tunapuna	§  Chaguanas.

In relation to Tobago, sale of State Game Licences will start on Wednesday 25^th November, 2020 on at Roxborough and Scarborough.

State Game Licences cost $100 each (with a Limit of 3 State Game Licences per hunter). For this year’s sale of State Game Licences a numbering system with a time for collection and payment is being used so that there is no need for waiting and congregation at the various offices. Each station will facilitate on average between 100-150 persons per day. Anyone visiting the Forestry Division Offices to purchase a State Game Licence must adhere to the COVID-19 protocols, in particular, the wearing of face mask and avoiding congregation in accordance with the Ministry of Health (MoH) guidelines.

Hunters are encouraged to select a convenient day during this 8-day period before the start of hunting on December 4, 2020 to purchase their Licences and avoid crowding the Forestry Division Offices. State Game Licences can be purchased at any of the six (6) offices in Trinidad and hunters can select the office which they know from experience to have the lower numbers of applicants.

The Ministry thanks all hunters for their continued support and again wishes to remind persons to be responsible and follow the required COVID 19 guidelines, to ensure a safe and successful hunting season.

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Agriculture Minister: Lease Letter Distribution Exercise, an Important One

November 20, 2020:- In the lease letter distribution ceremony held earlier today at the EL Reposo Demonstration Station in Sangre Grande, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat said that the Ministry views this event as important, as persons are able to see that the process is ongoing, as it also gives the opportunity to others to come forward in order to have their own matters addressed.

In delivering his remarks to the audience which included the Member of Parliament (MP) for Toco/Sangre Grande, Mr. Roger Munroe and Councillor in the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation for the district of Valencia West, Mrs- Simone-Gill Joseph, Minister Rambharat said, it was also equally important for both Member of Parliament and Councillors to work closely with their constituents to ensure that their concerns are addressed in a timely manner, and that the Agriculture Ministry will always be there to facilitate them when needed. He added, the Toco/Sangre Grade area consist about 500 farming blocks and the Ministry is in the process of regularizing land tenures for several areas including, Brooklyn Settlement and Allandale.

He congratulated all recipients on their achievements and said that farming is hard work and it is something which requires continuous investment but persons are becoming more appreciative of the work of a farmer.

Minister Rambharat also used the opportunity to remind persons that no one has the authority to give any lease of land for forest reserve until that land is de-reserved, and said that significant attention should be paid to this issue.

In his address, MP for Toco/Sangre Grande, Roger Munroe said, that the Land Tenure System will assist our cultivators to establish rights of ownership of land by farmers and will provide a more secure and permanent system, which is very much important for the development of agriculture in the country.

Reflecting on quotation from George Washington the MP also said, “Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man”.

At today’s event Lease Letters were distributed to a total of nine (9) persons.

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Minister Rambharat to ‘would-be’ farmers: Focus first on mitigating agricultural risks than on actual land acquisition

November, 18, 2020: In his presentation titled, ‘Re-Shaping the Agricultural Landscape in Trinidad and Tobago’, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat, reminded the audience that farming was an investment “just as any other” and as such, careful consideration needed to be made prior to venturing into it. To this end, he advised agricultural enthusiasts to hold on the notion of acquiring land and “plant something” first; so that they are able to experience the many challenges that comes with farming. The challenge of farming is not easily overcome “simply by getting a piece of land” but in understanding and mitigating those foreseeable and unforeseeable risks through one’s actual, agricultural experiences he said.

The Minister’s remarks came as he addressed a ‘Let’s Talk Agriculture’ webinar of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Trinidad and Tobago earlier in the day, under the theme, ‘Boosting T&T’s economy through Agriculture’. The programme was hosted by Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago (YBTT) in collaboration with the Agricultural Development Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.

Minister Rambharat further elaborated that farming is an investment, and he reiterated: “I want to tell people who have an interest in agriculture, to plant something and when you do, you will start to see the challenges that farmers face. You will see the black spots on your fruit, the ways in which the sun, rain, pests and animals affects your produce and it is then you will realise that, it is not just simply about getting a piece of land but in getting the experience, the know-how and understanding – as with any other investment – the ups and downs, the cycles you will face and how you mitigate those risks.”

The Minister also said that the Agriculture Ministry was also focussing on bringing about some stability in the agricultural sector in areas such as, land tenure, good governance as well as, the overarching support of both Government and State agencies in the stimulation of stakeholder growth.

He added, there is need for greater emphasis to be placed on value-added as opposed to primary production, as the agriculture sector seeks once again, to be a formidable player in the export market. Minister Rambharat also highlighted the success of the Farmers’ Market across the country and indicated that another critical area of support  in going forward for farmers is the business of marketing their products, as it relates to brand packaging, social media and other forms of advertising.

Other notable panellists who made presentations at today’s forum were: the Chief Executive Officer of the ADB, Mr Sheivan Ramnath; Founders of D’Market Movers Limited, Mr. David Thomas and Ms Rachel Renie; as well as the Founder of WhyFARM, Mr. Alpha Sennon.

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Agriculture Minister: Community Food Park Sustainability

Dependent on Ownership, Commitment and Responsibility

 

November, 13, 2020:- In delivering the feature address at the opening of the Ganknaski Avenue and Tumpuna Court Community Food Park in Arima this afternoon, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat said, that while community initiatives are easy to start, the real test comes with the project’s sustainability as there must be some level of ownership, commitment and a sense of responsibility.

Projects such as these will only survive when you have good leadership in a community, he said. To this end, the Minister identified with the residents of Oasis Gardens in Chaguanas, whose work in his opinion, had earned them the title of “number one home gardening community in the country.”

Minister Rambharat added, that the “most important decision one can make was to support its community, as this goes well for the overall success of the economy.” The Agriculture Minister went on to further explain, “when I make that purchasing decision at the shelves and I choose something that is made here, I am supporting jobs, I am supporting farmers, my health and most importantly, I am making a very patriotic decision to support Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).” As such, the emphasis on feeding ourselves ultimately begins with us, he said. There is an unbreakable link between health, longevity and what we consume, and Minister Rambharat urged persons to make more informed decisions when it comes to their eating habits.

According to the T&T Representative for the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA), Ms. Diana Francis, the project was a testament to “the importance of self-motivation and community collaboration as an effective, developmental resource”. She said, the idea for an agri-community garden was borne entirely by a group of residents, who, in consultation with Sunbeam Foundation (NGO), and the collaborative, technical intervention of IICA, brought the idea to full realization.

Also speaking at the event was Derek Regis, a community member and active home gardener, who said, it is his intention to utilize the space to grow crops that will satisfy all the food groups for a balanced diet. The agriculture crops he proposed, will include: cassava, sweet potato, plantain, bodi, pigeon peas, ochroes, melongene, in addition to a variety of fruits and other vegetables.

Also, in attendance at the formal ceremony, was His Worship the Mayor of Arima, Alderman Cagney Casimire.

The Ganknaski Avenue and Tumpuna Court Community Food Park is a community agricultural project. It commenced in August 2020 and comprises three (3), key integrated elements:

• a water harvesting unit to capture and store rainwater in a 400-gallon tank to be used for watering crops;
• Seven (7), multi-tiered and three (3), flat grow boxes and;
• a compost unit to produce compost from plant-based kitchen waste and other material for the improvement of the soil in the grow boxes.

 

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Agriculture Minister: Agro- Incentive Programme can make a significant impact on Country’s Food Production

November 11, 2020:- In delivering the Opening Remarks earlier today at the distribution of Agro- Incentive Grants at the Ministry’s Head Office in Chaguanas. Agriculture Minister, Clarence Rambharat said, the incentive programme is something which can make a significant impact on the way in which we manage food production the country and the way farmers’ are incentivized.  He added, it is the Ministry’s intention to always award persons who are performers, those who are producers and in the same token, we must incentivize and support these individuals.

The Minister encouraged farmers to make use of the incentive programme currently offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, so as to improve their overall efficiency, specifically when it comes to infrastructure and general farm management. These include: farm organization, farm security and labour saving equipment, storage, grading and sorting.

Minister Rambharat said that the Agro-Incentive Grant will be expanded in the future to include a wider range of areas it currently covers, with funding being utilized from the $500m stimulus package given to Agriculture. Of course, all of this will be subjected to the Cabinet’s approval, he said.

In closing, the Honourable Minister congratulated the farmers on their achievement and encouraged them to use the funding for its intended purpose, as there is a system in place by the Ministry for monitoring and evaluating the disbursements.

At today‘s event, cheques were presented to David Ablack (Hydroponics), Felix Clarke (Crop Production), Saleem Khan (Hydroponics), Karsen Mangaroo (Livestock Production), Allan Neptune (Crop Production- Hydroponics) and Harryram Sookdeen (Vegetable Production- Hydroponics).

Also in attendance was the Permanent Secretary (Ag.) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Mrs Ramdai Sookdeo.

 

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