‘Bigger Biggs’ road access matter is technical, not political, says PM

The road access issue concerning Leon “Bigger Biggs” Samuel is technical, not political, and while Samuel has property rights, the people in the community near his lands also have rights.

“Bigger Biggs can try and make it a political issue as much as he wants, [but] this to me never was and never is a political issue.

“I believe in having things discussed and settled, but I do not have to be involved in it. It is fundamentally a technical question. It is not a political question, it is not a policy question, it’s a technical issue,” Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves reiterated on Tuesday during a press conference.

In September 2012, Samuel placed a gate at the entrance of his property in Rabacca, blocking persons who use a road through his land, from getting to the Bower Mountains where farm lands are located.

The gate was later removed by the authorities, but on Monday February 4, Samuel placed a 40-foot container at the entrance of the property, again blocking vehicular access.

The Prime Minister noted last week that Samuel has certain land rights, and persons in the area have customary rights.

Gonsalves said the State first got involved with Samuel when professionals said the manner in which Samuel was mining on the property was not environmentally sound.

The government has since moved to have the lands surveyed, but Samuel, through his legal team has blocked the government surveyors from entering his property.

The Prime Minister said that the survey has to be done and the Ministry of Transport and Works is awaiting further advice from the Attorney General.

“…I understand that for a solution… that you need to have a survey and that is what is being dealt with and I am absolutely sure that the public officials are prepared to have dialogue with Mr Samuel or his representatives, but as to me I don’t have business to talk to Bigger Biggs about it. There are people in the state administration,” Gonsalves told reporters.

He noted that while Samuel has stated that the issue is political and bogus, he still has not taken the government to court.

“Why he didn’t go to court and let the court pronounce on it”.

“I don’t have to reply to Bigger Biggs. Bigger Biggs is the leader of a political party I must reply to him? He running against me or something like that? You think I ain’t get better thing to do with my time,” Gonsalves said in his usual robust style.

He said the affected farmers are hearing all the dialogue on the issue and are aware of what Samuel and others are saying.

“These matters will come in the normal course of things to their finality,” stated Gonsalves.