Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar describes as "banditry" when the State relocates residents from their property and not compensate them accordingly."Before getting into politics, I represented people whose property was taken by the State. It is banditry to take people's property and not compensate them. Development is never easy, there is always dislocation," he said.
He was speaking on Thursday night at a stakeholders presentation for Interchange Package C to Bamboo Settlement No 1 and No 3, Second Street, Bamboo Recreation Ground."Package C" is the final phase of the Port-of-Spain/East West Corridor Transportation Project. It involves the removal of the existing traffic lights at the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway/Uriah Butler Highway Intersection and the lights at Bamboo #2.
"I know there are properties that would be acquired but it is our view that no one should ever be dispossessed and residents must have proper compensation. And also, compensation that is not timely is no compensation at all," Ramadhar said.Acting Works and infrastructure Minister Ganga Singh, who attended the consultation, said all residents who must be relocated will be appropriately compensated.
"We had discussions with the Minister of Housing earlier today and we have certain options. We do not want to put that into the public domain without dealing with the residents who have been so affected. But you can be assured it would be a very good option available," he said.