Land was acquired to prevent families from becoming homeless – PM

The government’s recent move to acquire three acres of land at Murray Village is being done to prevent families with young children from being left homeless.

So said Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Sunday, during a call to the ‘Issue at Hand’ programme on We FM.

But estate manager and landowner Simone Murray does not see it that way and last week she told SEARCHLIGHT that the decision to acquire the land, owned by members of her family, is a human rights issue and a clear case of victimization.

The first publication of the Government’s intention to acquire the land under Section 3 of the Land Acquisition Act, Chapter 24 appeared in the Government Gazette of July 28, 2020 and refers to approximately three acres of land at Richmond Hill belonging to Simone Murray et al.

The Prime Minister during his call to the radio programme was asked to respond to charges of victimization.

“I always want to be fair with everybody…anybody who knows me…but I must tell you, you can’t help being touched by certain things and I am talking about children being put off of the property.

“Believe me, none of this gives me any joy, but children on the land…people have been living there for a long time, they have nothing to do with any politics, if I tell you I don’t know the people…,” the Prime Minister said.

He further explained that he was written and spoken to by several persons who live on the land.

“And as you are aware, government has a public policy of facilitating people with housing,” Gonsalves said.

He said when persons live in informal human settlements, the government tries its best to keep them there and help them get title or put them somewhere else.

The Prime Minister said he does not want to comment on some of the things that he has read about the acquisition, but he is hearing that the land is not good for any development, but letters shared with him say that the owners need the land for some sort of development.

He said one of the letters to vacate the land was served on behalf of Beverly Agard-Lewis and asked the person to vacate the lands on or before June 5th, 2021 as the landowner would like to develop the property.

He said the tenant, a man who has lived there for 25 years told him that the persons who initially controlled the lands have passed on and they were polite and even offered to sell him the piece he occupied.

Gonsalves said the letter writer said something happened and that changed the relationship between the landowners and the tenants.

He said the person being asked to leave is a father of four children whose girlfriend recently passed away and he has nowhere to go.

“I am always open to any further discussions. If everybody can hold on to one acre and there are three acres whatever the case may be, we can see how the thing can work out. We have to move fast, we don’t have time,” Gonsalves said.
He said Cabinet decided on compulsory acquisition based on advice given.

“Would you like to see 15 to 20 families have to move with their children after living there for 25 years?”

The Prime Minister said he operates on biblical principles on these matters.

“I don’t know well Dr Murray who has written on this matter, but I know his wife who is a wonderful woman and anytime we meet we talk. She is a good professional woman too,” Gonsalves said of Simone Murray.