Port-of-Spain: The managing director of the Housing Development Corporation Jearlean John says the Government had prior knowledge that farmers crops were to be destroyed to make way for a housing project.
John says the Corporation needs Cabinet guidance in order to continue the construction of state housing throughout Trinidad and Tobago, as contention brews over the HDC’s recent bulldozing of more than 40 acres of farmlands. John revealed that Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal was aware that the HDC was going ahead with plans to clear the lands in D'abadie.
The Housing Minister who returned from London tonight, has immediately expressed regret that the crops of farmers were destroyed and has assured that the farmers will be compensated.
He says it is an age old development challenge to the use of land for agriculture versus housing.
Dr Moonilal admits he was aware of the plan to bulldoze the land to build houses. He says he met the farmers in March and they discussed alternative sites for farming. He's been out of the country this past week when the HDC went ahead and activated a plan.
Dr moonilal says a similar challenge exists at eight sites across the country. He says based on the prime minister's directive the bulldozing will stop at least for time.
He says as it now stands he says there are 126,000 applications for houses and he expects this will rise to 150,000.
He will meet with Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath on Thursday following the weekly Cabinet meeting.
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