The Phase II Pan Groove panyard at Hamilton Street Woodbrook is here to stay. Local Government Minister, Chandresh Sharma said this yesterday, less than two weeks after Port-of-Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing insisted on the panyard being relocated. "The real lawyer says you have rights here. So, story done!" Sharma said.
He was speaking at an emergency meeting held at the Woodbrook panyard, to defend Phase II's right to the land. Phase II does not wish to move to the Mucurapo site.Sharma said, "This panyard has to be here for a long time to come. As far as I am aware the panyard has all legal right and possession." He said he will immediately speak with Lee Sing.
Phase II's lawyer and former attorney general, Anthony Smart said, "Phase II Pan Groove has acquired free hold title to this parcel of land in Woodbrook."The panyard has been in existence since 1972 and the band has acquired a Possessory Title. "They became the owner of the land automatically," he explained.
Phase II has been battling the Port-of-Spain Corporation since 2004 and Smart read correspondence from that time.On January 13, 2005, Smart wrote to the Corporation saying Phase II has been in uninterrupted, continuous, adverse possession of the property.