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Farmers take grouses to PM
Published:
Friday, February 3, 2012
Protest outside Diplomatic Centre...
“It is not nice to shun farmers.” This was one of the messages sent to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar by co-ordinator of the Trinidad United Farmers’ Association Shiraz Khan. He claimed the PM showed disrespect by not responding to a letter delivered to her since January 18 about changes to the standard agricultural land leases which could severely affect the livelihood of farmers in the country. Khan and about 40 farmers gathered outside the Diplomatic Centre, La Fantaise Road, St Ann’s, yesterday around 1 pm with placards.
About 45 minutes later, they walked towards the main entrance to the centre to “redeliver” the letter. Security officers took Khan’s information and said someone would come down to speak with him. Around 2 pm after singing and chanting, permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Reginald Cooper, came through the entrance gate and met with the group for about two minutes. Cooper said he could not state when the Prime Minister would respond but would ensure she received the letter. Addressing the media afterwards, Khan said farmers voted for the PM and it was disrespectful that she failed to respond.
Khan claimed Food Production Minister Vasant Bharath never held a consultation with him on land lease or tenure. He said land lease taxes increased by 7,600 per cent on farms with short-term crops and livestock production. He said those increase were unacceptable. “Right now is total disrespect for farmers...It started off with bulldozing,” he said.
“Every action that has brought farmers to the street is not our actions, it is theirs. “They bulldozed the farmers’ lands and now they’re bringing these draconian measures.”
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