Agriculture Minister to Lease Letters Recipients: It is vitally important that you follow through with the process

Agriculture Minister to Lease Letters Recipients:  It is vitally important that you follow through with the process

In addressing recipients at a Lease Letter Distribution Ceremony held earlier today at the MALF Head Office in Chaguanas, Agriculture Minister, Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat said that persons have a responsibility to follow through on the process of obtaining their leases with the Commissioner of State Lands (COSL), as this is the beginning of another chapter in their journey in securing land tenureship. He added that, on many occasions, individuals are left wondering about the status of their applications and encouraged them to be more vigilant in their efforts as it will be for their own benefit.

Minister Rambharat went on to outline the process and requirements that have now been formally documented in their lease letters as this information will assist them in transacting business at the Office of the Land Management Division when they are contacted. These include:-

i) Issuance of a Letter of Offer by the Commissioner of State Lands (COSL) outlining the terms and conditions of their lease;

ii) Acceptance/Rejection of the Offer;

iii) Nomination of a Trinidad and Tobago Land Surveyor;

iv) The COSL will instruct the Director of Surveys to issue a Survey Order for persons to nominate a Trinidad and Tobago Land Surveyor;

v) The survey must be conducted by their nominated Land Surveyor;

vi) Original Survey Plans MUST be submitted to the COSL; and

vii) The COSL will then instruct the COSL to prepare the requisite leases.

This information he said, is intended to give persons a greater insight on how the systems work, as they are now fully apprised of the process and the necessary documentation that are required for approvals in a timely manner.

The Minister then indicated to the recipients, that should they receive no communication from the COSL Office in forty-five (45) days, they are to subsequently contact the Ministry to notify staff of the issue.

At today’s programme, twelve (12) persons and two (2) organisations – the Fire Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago and Prison Officers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago – received lease letters in respect to Agricultural, Residential, Homestead and Institutional State lands.