Dear Editor,
The issue of a land title for myself and son has come to standstill again after years of effort for an amicable closure. It is clear to me at this point of time, that the MMA/ADA does not have any intention of justifying their denial of my fundamental rights. I say this to remind you that my last letter to Stabroek News (‘Still can’t get licence for land’), which was published on March 3, 2009 and which you copied to Mr Aubrey Charles for any comments he might wish to make produced silence, with no response to date from any of the relevant parties. These are the General Manager; the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Andrew Bishop; and Ms Jennifer Wade, the Member of Parliament from the PNCR, who presumably is there to look after the rights of the people.
I have done everything possible in exploring all avenues dating back to 1994, including by way of letters to the press, and I have paid visits to many officials, with no success. The only alternative remaining is to take the matter to the courts, where they once took me, and which I know would be a long, drawn-out process. They have proved their weakness because they could not justify their claim for payment, and had the matter withdrawn. I believed it then to be over, but was sadly mistaken, Instead it was the beginning of the problem I now face – no lease, no licence, no land. So much for justice. All the blame lies squarely at their feet, and they have failed to prove otherwise to date. In my efforts over the years I wrote and visited the then General Manager of MMA/ADA, Mr Roy Singh (1994-1995), and after my efforts failed, I did the same with the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Reepu Daman Persaud in 1995, which was successful to a point because the matter was referred back to the General Manager. However, the ball game continued with the royal run around. In 1998 I visited Mr Odinga Lumumba, the Ministerial Advisor on Empowerment, and finally in 2005 I wrote to President Bharat Jagdeo, just to name a few, but to no avail. I do hope that through this letter I would have some relief that would allow me to function once again in my capacity as a farmer.
I have a track record as a farmer, and there are documents to support my claims which can be provided at any time requested.
Yours faithfully,
B A Drakes
