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Farmers join activists...
‘Save us from rapid rail’
Published: 3 Feb 2010
Hundreds of farmers from the villages of Aranguez, Cunupia and Pasea have joined forces with the anti-steel mill and anti-smelter activists with the hope of lobbying the Government to change the route of the proposed rapid rail project.
The group met with activists from the T&T United Fisherfolk, National Foodcrop Farmers Association, Pranz Gardens Village Association, Citizens for Social Justice, Rights Action Group and the Claxton Bay Fishing Association at the Claxton Bay fishing port. President of the Cunupia Farmers Association Anil Ramnarine said prime agricultural lands at Esmeralda Road, Ragoonanan Road, Welcome Road, Mon Plasir Road and Ramgoolie Trace would be destroyed if the project continued along the proposed route. He said at least 500 homes would be directly affected. “We have come here today to join with the anti-smelter and anti-steel mill activists to seek help to save our lands,” Ramnarine said.
He added that while they were not against the construction of the rapid rail, they were concerned that hundreds of acres of prime agricultural land would be destroyed if the proposed construction came to fruition. Ramnarine said they produced food for local consumption and also exported fresh produce to the United States, Canada and England, as well as several islands along the Caribbean chain. He said destruction of farm lands for industrial purposes would lead to a surge in food prices. “We support the struggle of the fisherfolk who stand to lose their livelihood because of Government’s decision to construct an extension to the Point Lisas port, but farmers are now up against new threats with the rapid rail,” Ramnarine said. He added that farmers met and had identified new proposals for a different route for the rapid rail, which they planned to take to the Government.
Meanwhile, president of the National Food Crop Association Norris Deonarine said the Government had to state whether its priority was food security or rapid rail. He said the Government had been unable to provide adequate water to citizens. He also said that agricultural development could provide a sustainable livelihood for citizens. University of the West Indies lecturers Dr Peter Vine and Wayne Kublalsingh spoke with the activists and renewed their commitment to struggle for the protection of the fishing and agricultural industries.
Barrytone.Everybody has
Barrytone.Everybody has brought alot to the table about this rail
system to be. I hope that the people in charge are reading these blogs especially MR Solomon's Who has had the chance to experience
systems in place and most importantly to use them.Most impressive
in your article Mr Solomon was the ability to walk,cycle and to
drive to a central point(park and ride I assume)To begin why can't
we build some park and ride stations in strategic locations to
kill some of the traffic coming into town.Buses are very flexible,I
have seen in some Canadian cities,bicycle racks are bolted to the
sides and back of the Bus.Some of the commute is by Bus the other
by bike.In Calgary Canada imagine bus passes are transferrable
the Downtown core is free travel,some people even have their transit pass(rail,bus,streetcar)taken right of their pay cheque at
a reduce cost.And of course their are plain clothes police officers
on the system.So you are right if set up properly it will work.
We have the talent to execute a plan.But I 'guessssssss'we still a
third world country.
Solomon, prices here are
Solomon, prices here are controlled by bulk discounts to supermarkets macro scale, micro scale are the TT farmers selling in the market, but farmers and agriculture people have it in their veins in their heritage, in their culture they will do it for whatever they can make even lower profits,
Prices are controlled in TTT- wholsale prices. Here in the UK you would not believe it (consider: my family came from Madras-Chennai and North India, so its in my veins) , I grow on an additional house plot to my house: Tomatoes, beans, peas, coriander(bandanya), most seasing herbs to compete with Matouks- celery, mustard, spinach, sage bay leaves- all in trays, then on land. Rosemary, all the berries- cranberries red white and black, cherry dwarf tree, dwarf pears, peaches coming up, plum dwarf tree, grapes 150 bunches last year I made 15 bottles of Rose wine racked now ready at Easter, spring onions, garlic,beetroots, cucumbers,
dig the scene, in full mature stage we dont visit the greengrocers for 3 months in summer so I save 25% of my grocery bills, AND!!!! DONT FORGET: PEPPERS (Congo peppers even growing in winter on my computer room window plus two Avocados, 4 limes indoors- need put them out in 2 years) fuh so Solomon. I made 4 litres of hot peppersauce in a good summer, last year was not good as summer disappeared.
And it attracts: bees butterflies wasps spiders as we need preserve these insects.
It tells you, that people can do this if they want, but there will always be the ones who do it as its in their culture to do it,If you go up to the countryside in TT, where I come from, you will see almost all houses having garden kitchens, green flowering blooming, its a lovely feeling.
Hence we dont want the train line to run right thru the Aranguez agriculture lands.
More like save us from
More like save us from Manning, Hart and the PNM.
Ryan4Party@live.com
I might be living in the
I might be living in the wrong place but I think that this rapid rail thing is an excellent project.
The traffic by going away and more people on the roads every day.
I agree that the displaced people should be properly compensated for losing their properties and I also agree that the cost of this project should be closely monitored and managed, but this country will be better off with it happening.
I am no enemy to progress and I do treasure the environment, but I am also a realist who does not plan on leaving this country.
Epsom, lets have the rail
Epsom, lets have the rail system, if terrorists or a bit of water wreck this.then it was not planned properly, Rail systems all over the world do not make a lot of money but its a service essential to the country and spin off developments. I can see:
Less traffic on the roads
less risky pH travelling
Better transport system- 4 hrs+ to go to work Sando to POS is no fun
Developing of towns along the route and
sub industries to go with a rail system
Hotels springing up along the towns
Restaurants
movement of goods and agricultural products faster and better from within the agricultural areas.
a bit on inner TT tourism - get on a train, we here in UK like to get on a train and let other people drive you to the city or suburban towns
less toxic automobile pollutants
a Rail journey is fun even if TT is stressful
I was wondering even further if they will go to Point with it
Then across to Mayaro?
Then up to Grande?
Oooh Desmond
Oooh Desmond
Then across to Mayaro? Then up to Grande?
Why stop there? How about taking it all the way to Tobago too? (^$^)
What is truly scary, in addition to the sums of money involved (whether it is US or UK billions being talked about, I am still in the dark) it is the history of the lack of transparency, the lack of accountable the overruns, the 'Why you askin' dat for? Yuh dough need to know dat!' kind of attitude.
SOME people may give up their cars, but what happens on the two sides? Firstly, they have to get to the 'stations', 'terminals' or which ever word is used; then, they have to be able to get from where they disembark to their ultimate destination. Others, will continue to want to have the flexibility to be able to run to their own timetable.
La Diva
The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the student body. Warren Buffett
La Diva, If the rail is
La Diva, If the rail is planned out properly and laid out in areas where it will reach the most people then we will have noting to worry about. Having experienced the transport system in Europe at length, Chicago and Miami, it would be imcumbent upon the planners to ensure that shuttle services are available.
Here where I am, there is a bus service that takes me to the tram that take me into the city and next to the train station. parking is available for vehicles and bicycles which I used until the snows. These days I opt to walk the 15 - 20 minutes to the tram and I have access to the country.
On the point of cost overruns and all the other issues that will prevail, it is expected and it happens in all major undertakings all over the world. As far as fare jumping is concerned, Miami has instituted a system of paying to enter the building before you get on to the train, with penalties for jumping the barriers.
European transport systems use the honor rule and they have a very strict fine system with regular inspection. Attempting to pay the fine directly to the inspector could get you charged with attempting to bribe along with larger fines, probably based on expectations of honor. In Poland it would get you taken off the bus or tram at the next stop and into the warm arms of the police. It is just something that you do not take a chance with. People would rather beg for a ticket than try take the chance and cheat a ride for free (not that some people don't do it), or punch old tickets. When they get caught, they pay big time, it's as if you end up paying for the full capacity of the tram.
I have always found you La Diva, to be a voice of reason and if I don't agree with you, at least you contribute positively to the debate.
James (observing from Poland)
Mr. Solomon and others who
Mr. Solomon and others who share the same view....
I'm glad that you Trinbagonians still keep abreast with the happenings in TT.... but may I indulge to say that sweet T&T is not as sweet as it use to be, and lets not blame progress for that... its people not being able to deal with power in their hands.
When progress takes place may I say that our public is receptive and are the best marketing managers of the progress BUT... when it is done highhandedly, where billions are disappearing from other projects under the cost overrun label and millions are being paid out in advance with no justification.... when a Canadian can come to T&T and be employed in numerous State boards and setup a private company with his home fax no. as the fax of the business and he's given the opportunity to have his will in our treasury... then we have major problems. When our local architects are sidelined in favour of a foreigner to produce the same plan thats an insult.
In essence you are not here anymore so its easy to talk from far and give advice, especially where you are, and the national security is not even an issue, a policeman anywhere you can imagine to protect you, compared to here, as well as there is an available bed in the hospital if you fall sick....
In addition, if you were here and had to pay 100's% increase in property tax from next month and then be like me to wake up one morning to see a huge piece of equipment coming in to do soil testing for the rapid rail in your neighbour's place - and no consultation from any authorities, but only the persons working with the equipment approaching with some papers and recording info to inform that their work is in preparation for the rapid rail and this is its preferred route..... believe me it is frightening.... imagine we were not even considered to be informed by the relevant authorities.
After pursuits of our own, the company responsible for the rapid rail (NIDCO), referred to us by the minister of transport office, informed that they don't fall under the freedom of information act so they can't divulge info. Months after, NIDCO published an ad for consultation with stakeholders, when people turned up on the said day, they met a photocopy of the ad with the word cancelled on it stuck on the pillar to the venue's entrance..... what do u think the citizens are to do.... not ask questions? (to this day no consultations have been held)
Let me make this abundantly clear that the people who are affected by this thief in the night mentality operation, is not against any development including the rapid rail, but, all we ask for is to inform us.... we have bills, mortgages, children education and everything else like everybody else to do.... but at least treat us like human beings so that our lives can pass through the transition easily... let us be able to plan ahead so that our lives will not be on hold.... children needs don't go on hold.
In addition... word is that the treasury empty.... so.... what compensation? The PM said things are tight.
and history shows that in previous projects there are people who got absolutely no compensation or who are still waiting to be compensated
Honestly... i wish y'all were still living in Trinidad.
Thank you James
Thank you James
I have always found you La Diva, to be a voice of reason and if I don't agree with you, at least you contribute positively to the debate.
And same to you. (^_^)
Here's hoping 'the powers that be' read and consider 'what could go wrong' so that solutions are devised for potential problems.
La Diva
The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the student body. Warren Buffett
My main issue is that such a
My main issue is that such a fuss is going to be made of this. We need the rail but there will be people who will most definately stand in the way and offer suggestions that would put the train way off course. Land would be offered of course and Caroni is ripe for the picking...
Another thing I would point out is that Aranjuez agricultral lands have been slowly and surely developed by the apartments that have been mushrooming in once prime agricultural lands. I spent too many hours doing aerial photography not to notice it, and you can see it also on Google Earth.
No one gets into anything to struggle, and farmers do make good money yet they cry for every little thing. There are lands in Caroni that do not flood so that is one thing less to complain about. Have you seen the size of the houses that are being built by farmers in Aranguez? In Lopinot they dam up the drains to water their crops, causing major flooding in the rainy season because they don't make the necessary adjustments to lower water levels.
A friend of mine got involved in farming in the hills of St. Joseph on two acres of land that he owned surrounding his home, I called him a 'gentleman farmer' he got out after two years for two reasons, he could not justify the insane profits he made, and he would not join in with the group about how hard it was. He now resides in Canada. I used to hang with him when he made his sales.
I know that I would be taken to task for those comments. The cry that will be made about the suffering farmers... They are not suffering otherwise they would have gotten out a long time ago.
Funny thing though fresh produce is cheaper here in the supermarkets even though it is imported from warmer countries during the winter than it is in Trinidad. Way cheaper. Meat is so much cheaper here than home and I am a meat mouth, so I know the prices A whole cooked chicken sells for TT$20.00 in the supermarket.
The country will be held to ransom for this rail and this will drag on longer than it needs to. If people just understaood that it is for the good of the nation and negotiated on a win win basis everything would go smoothly. Time for our country to grow up.
James (observing from Poland)
La Diva your bias towards
La Diva your bias towards this government defies logic.You display no
sense of reason,you spur hate and contemn in your blogs.Whilst we as a people have to hold our representatives accountable,u take every opportunity to discredit anything they do or attempt to,without giving any logical alternative.You love to use big words and say nothing.
rulbp21 If you
rulbp21
If you do not wish to read my contributions, you are free to use a) the scroll button on your mouse; and b) filter out what you would like to read, or not, as the case maybe. You do not need my permission for that, but you know that already. (^_~)
PS. My bias is not against this government per se; my bias is against mismanagement, sloppy/inaccurate work and "Yes" people, amongst other things. By the way. Would you be kind enough to include my 'bias' against a) incomplete/inaccurate reporting and b) personal attacks towards bloggers rather than dealing with the issues, in your list? If you are going to call me out, don't do a hatchet job! (^_^)
Oh, and if you don't like my 'use of big words', or that I am aware there is more to life than 'wavin' meh hand in de air', blame it on my 'free' education! (Thank you Dr Williams!) (^*^)
La Diva
The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the student body. Warren Buffett
I might be living in the
I might be living in the wrong place but I think that this rapid rail thing is an excellent project.
The traffic by going away and more people on the roads every day.
I agree that the displaced people should be properly compensated for losing their properties and I also agree that the cost of this project should be closely monitored and managed, but this country will be better off with it happening.
I am no enemy to progress and I do treasure the environment, but I am also a realist who does not plan on leaving this country.
I agree. It's strange that
I agree. It's strange that the response on the Guardian side was so different from Newsday and Express. I think the rail project is a good idea. People who are inconvenienced should be compensated and such, but why the animosity about rail? Also, if the rail is built, that means more jobs for iron workers, labor, engineers, etc.
--
http://cartelwatch.blogspot.com
Anti Rail,Anti Steel
Anti Rail,Anti Steel Mill,Anti Aluminum Smelter,Anti Government,Anti Trinbagonian.
We do not need /cannot
We do not need /cannot afford a rail system.I work as a financial controller for London Underground and the cost of maintenance is phenomenol coupled with the fact that many Trinis will fare dodge and what about funding to prevent terroist activities on the rail.
All this has to be taken into account ,has the PNM regime said anything on the profitability of this venture.The only way they will go ahead with this is if there is some grease hand money passing cause i know this is a blank check and after the country fails believe me Manning and his cohorts will be long gone to their European villas while the population bear the brunt of their excessivness for generation to come .
iane
iane
We do not need /cannot afford a rail system.I work as a financial controller for London Underground and the cost of maintenance is phenomenol
I have heard stories of the Underground/Overground stations flooding and services being cancelled due to 'rain'. I wonder - a) if our 'persons in charge' have taken advice on the impact our weather conditions may have on the proposed system; b) what that advice was.
La Diva
The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the student body. Warren Buffett
Manning you are causing a
Manning you are causing a STRESSFUL society. Do you care? Obviously, not, with all the madness and mayhem going on with your loose cannon Govt, the people are getting upset with Aluminium smelter, destruction of lands, trees not replanted, new Essar steel mill near a populated araa inc destruction of mangroves and world institutions say: "preserve the mangroves", big big buildings going to waste, Opera House for 1000 people who can afford it, your Palace, and 13 years of gas remaining and you cant save some in the reservoirs for our grandchildren to use, needless to say 2 generations without a running water system to each home; and so many other pie-in-the sky wasting money projects.
Look here it does not take a Canadian consultant to come tell you to bend the railways around the Aranguez farm and agriculture lands, why you all in Govt so dotish?
Why destroy this agriculture? Your govt inc Colm will go go down in our History books, the younger generation will remember this particular govt in the annals of TT history. They will curse you guys and maybe make folk song about you all. I am in favour of the rail system but please blend it in with what we have good already, why will you continue to go on blindly?. There are think tanks and then other think tanks. Two different inhouse groups will give different recommendations.
Do not be surprised if the
Do not be surprised if the 'Opera House' does not end up as a 'Small Church'...
James (observing from Poland)
Solomon!!! Seems like the
Solomon!!!
Seems like the cold in Poland got to your brain.What nonsense you're saying..
We need the rapid rail, but
We need the rapid rail, but if there is going to be so much fuss, then better to abandon it.
Rapid Rail déjà vu
Now that the Rapid Rail project is in the planning stages and land is being identified, we find the groundwork being prepared to milk as much as can be milked out of the project by the few who would hold the needs of the travelling public to ransom. It has happened before.
The harsh reality is that the train is needed now more than ever for more reasons than just the rapid movement of the population and land is needed for the tracks and facilities to be to be built. The usual games with the usual suspects will begin; with the farmers/landowners who will hold out and cry out, some politician or lawyer will take up their plight, they will march and go to court, everyone will have an opinion, they will eventually get more money than the value of the land, and on top of that, they will get Caroni lands for free, for the inconvenience with a confidentiality clause on the side, even after they have been well compensated, there will be delays and cost overruns. Didn't this happen before for a piece of highway heading from the South that the country needed? Could we imagine life without our North-South dual lane highway?
When we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the completion of the rail in 20 whenever; we will all ask why it took so long to be built, and only then would we ask ourselves why didn’t have this a long time ago. We are standing still, in the way of our own development.
Here we go again, just another day in our little banana republic paradise.
James (observing from Poland)
Now this is intelligent and
Now this is intelligent and informative.
johnjames writes!!!!>>>This
johnjames writes!!!!>>>This pnm dictatorial regime is bent on marginalizing one sector of our society more than ever!! Can't they see that this disenfranchised group of poor farmers are feeding our nation & trying to make a living from agriculture?? Remember that they can't benefit from handouts as CECEP & URP & cannot attain the standards to become "Community Leaders">> Neither can they get into the civil service,Army,police,oilfield workers,teachers,gov't banks,Dock workers & a host of gov't controlled agencies including Gov't contracts ETC!!!Can't they see that we don't want to eat crap from the US & other first world countries?? Our entire nation deserves better! We want to protect our future generations from cancer & other diseases caused by consuming toxic pesticides/wastes & expired foodstuff including drugs all utilized in these so called advanced countries!!Please make a more feasible study to relocate & still consider the Rapid rail but with limited impact on the environment!! This reminds me of the US/Canada sabotaging the Arctic region in order to build pipelines for oil & gas through the provinces of Canada for profit & in the process destroying precious native lands & the natural flora & fauna!!! We are global for several years now & we need to protect this PLANET that the Almighty God who gave us a life to pass through leaving it in a natural state for our future generations to enjoy & prosper!! May we see that with this UNITY brought on by Kamla & Jack that we can unite as a NATION to bring back PARADISE as we know it!!! It can be done, my people!!!
intelligent and
intelligent and informative?!?!?! What?
"This pnm dictatorial regime is bent on marginalizing one sector of our society more than ever"
You just voted for the other party so of course you'd say such, most PNM supporters would view the UNC regime as the same - doesn't make it fact, intelligent or informative, its called blind bias.
"Can't they see that this disenfranchised group of poor farmers are feeding our nation & trying to make a living from agriculture"
So are the taxi drivers who will be affected, differences are these farmers will be compensated and moved - taxi drivers will have to find a new trade.
They (Farmers) need to be honest, this is about money they're looking for a sweeter offer, relocating them wouldn't be that bad since they'll still be feeding the nation.
"Our entire nation deserves better! We want to protect our future generations from cancer & other diseases caused by consuming toxic pesticides/wastes & expired foodstuff including drugs all utilized in these so called advanced countries!!
An electric train will reduces carbon emissions (less automobiles)thus protecting our future generations; you can get cancer from the Sun, you'll get pesticides from farmers who feed our nation, as for expired food stuff and drugs...uhmmmm, what?!?
"Please make a more feasible study to relocate & still consider the Rapid rail but with limited impact on the environment!"
I hope you live in a tree, you don't drive nor do you use electricity; don't throw environmental statements around, your post is regurgitated political nonsense, if you're this passionate about the environment demolish your house, plant a garden then move into a tree..limited impact on the environment!
I agree with "Please make a more feasible study"
This reminds me of the US/Canada sabotaging the Arctic region
So they are the ones behind global warming; they killed Kenny. You bastards!
Earth is young planet going through changes while we ALL may have contributed to the rise in global temperatures this chick is finally growing boobs expect a little attitude; in short changes will occur whether we in habited this planet or not.
"May we see that with this UNITY brought on by Kamla & Jack that we can unite as a NATION to bring back PARADISE as we know it!"
More political nonsense, basically you're saying if Rowley and Manning kiss and make-up tomorrow Trinidad becomes a paradise?!?!
Because I bet that's angle a PNM folk would use.
The only reason I'm worried about having this rapid rail in TT is lazy Governance and lazy voting (All Political parties included).
Demand better services from your MP, they CAN affect changes even from the opposition benches.
Actually, the earth is not
Actually, the earth is not young.
"Earth is young planet going through changes while we ALL may have contributed to the rise in global temperatures..."
The Earth is 4.54 billion years old and all life on the planet will cease in 1.5 billion years. Converting that into something humans can relate to, and saying a human lives to 100 years, then the Earth (as a life-sustaining planet) is currently 75 years old.
Johnjames - Rapid
Johnjames - Rapid Rail:-
Well said JohnJames - intelligent and informative.
Prime agricultural land should never be abused. If we pay close attention to world affairs, we will find that we are being forced to rethink how we have been abusing our land and our people.
Yes, a Rapid Rail System would be beneficial to us in T&T, but not at the expense of agriculture, our food basket and our farmers. We live in modern times and can certainly find a way to have both, but we must be willing to invest the time and energy in research to ensure that we make the right decisions.
We must stop this behaviour of ours of jumping straigh into the fire, and finding out after the fact that we had made serious errors in the first place that could have been avoided had we done our homework.
"Desmond Smith" - He has been a voice of reason on this blog for a long time as he has technical and scientific knowledge and street-smarts that has kept us informed during some important discussions. I value his input.
"La Diva" - I value her contribution as this 'Diva' is known for her 'investigative' work, taking our gov't to task for the actions they have initiated, and plan to take, on behalf of people and country. She sometimes raise concerns that some of us would perhaps have missed. We are wiser for having her on this platform.
Blogger from the London Underground - Has raised some important issues that our gov't must consider before they send off the 'starter's gun'. We are no longer living in the dark ages, and must not pretend that we do.
I do realise that Mr. Imbert is hell bent on having this rail up and running, but he has to be realistic in accepting the fact that this is not simply an 'engineer's toy train set' he was given by Santa.
I would like to have a train system back in our soil; but I want my gov't to make wise and progressive decisions, not doing so by the seats of their pants.
Many years ago we had a working train system taking us from places like Siparia, San Fernando, Couva, Port-of-Spain and towns along the way. (My mom has provided me with this information.) She says that it was valuable and served its purpose to all travellers. But in came 'black gold' and wealth, and our gov't in power ripped up the tracks, overturned the entire system, gave us paved roads and we acquired more automobiles than this small country could handle resulting in the chaos we find on our roads today.
Now we are attempting to go around the same circle. Do we call this progress or lack of foresight in the first place. We do not want to repeat the errors of the past.
Our bloggers have presented some valuable commentaries today, some we may accept, some we don't, some we may question, etc., but at the end of the day we all have something valuable to contribute and I say that's progress.
Do not be arrogant and ignorant and destoy our prime agricultural lands, and the communities in the path of the current plans. Seek alternatives and do some more research before we begin. If we are not careful we may find in a few years time that we made a serious error in judgement, and it cost us dearly.
Gardenia
Manning you making more
Manning you making more people angry!
Ryan4Party@live.com