Seven residents of the Oropune Village Compensation Project received long overdue cheques at a distribution ceremony held yesterday in Piarco's South Airport Terminal. Minister of Transport Devant Maharaj commended the recipients for coming forward and choosing to settle.
He urged other villagers who had not settled to reconsider their options and receive government payouts, as opposed to "being distracted" by the legal bombardment of attorneys who "wished to further delay the process of settlement." Maharaj recalled that several Cabinet decisions for relocation and compensation of the villagers have been made over the years, when it was finally agreed that an $11.8 million settlement would be allotted for the properties formerly owned by residents.
The minister assured the exercise was one of many valuation processes that would assist in expeditiously settling the claims of bona fide Oropune residents. Chairman of the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) Gerald Hadeed said the event marked a significant milestone in the history of the country's commitment to safety and security.
Hadeed recalled the project's commencement back in 1970, stating that the primary mandate was to acquire lands at Piarco and Oropune villages for the redevelopment and expansion of the Piarco International Airport. "In order to give effect to this mandate and lodge title of the authority, it was necessary to relocate and compensate the villagers of Piarco and at Oropune," said Hadeed.
He stressed the need to ensure the safety of persons occupying surrounding lands, assuring that existing airport security protocols satisfied world aviation security standards. Minister of Legal Affairs and Member of Parliament for St Augustine Prakash Ramadhar applauded the efforts of the Transport Ministry as he admitted: "The distribution of the cheques is the manifestation of a promise that was long coming for an injustice that needed to be repaired."