Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Yvonne Pearson, accused of running interference in a land dispute involving Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, said her intervention at the behest of the minister in matters is provided for under the Amerindian Act.
Minister Sukhai has been accused of exerting undue influence on the Santa Rosa Village Council, Moruca sub-district of Region One for the approval of ownership of land for a relative of hers.
The minister sought the intervention of Pearson in a matter that by her own admission would present a conflict of interest situation should she intervene herself. Officials of the Amerindian People’s Association accused the Minister of using the NTC to strong arm the village council into making a decision that would be favourable to the minister’s relative.
This newspaper visited Minister Sukhai’s office for a comment to no avail. The reporter was told to leave contact information and the minister would make contact. Up to press time the minister failed to contact this newspaper.
Contacted for a comment last evening, Pearson said the assertion that the minister improperly used her powers in sending her to Santa Rosa was “unfair. The Minister can ask me to investigate. The Act makes provision for that.” Pearson said that because the issue involved the minister’s close relative, it would be improper for her to be present at any meeting convened to deal with the matter. “The minister’s father has an issue and she did not intervene but asked the NTC Chairperson to go and intervene and the law makes provision for that,” Pearson said. “How could they say that the minister used her power? This is not the first time that the minister has asked to intervene in a matter,” she said.
According to documentation this newspaper has seen, the Santa Rosa Village Council is denying Aloysius Torres access to a plot of land situated at San Jose, Santa Rosa Village, Moruca, Region One. It is alleged that the council wants to grant ownership of the land to Leonard Torres, who wants to transfer the land to his stepdaughter, Sukhai.
Member of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), David James, said in a letter tio the village council that for over 35 years, Aloysius Torres and his family were in possession and ownership of the land in question and never relinquished the rights to the said land.
“Mr Torres has informed me that his elder brother Leonard Torres, who is making claim to this plot of land was initially given the said plot by their father, now deceased. However, Leonard Torres left Moruca more than 30 years ago and took up residence in Laluni on the Linden Soesdyke Highway. During that time, Aloysius Torres remained and lived on this plot of land and maintained it, while taking care of their parents until the day of their deaths,” James said in his letter.
According to James, Aloysius Torres is aware that Leonard Torres is attempting to transfer the land to his stepdaughter and because of this he feels the village council will be prejudicial against him
“In these circumstances, on behalf of Mr Aloysius Torres I respectfully ask the council to review any decision in relation to this plot of land and ensure that he is given an opportunity to a fair hearing and that his right to due process is upheld,” James said.
In a letter dated September 16, 2005, the Santa Rosa Village Council gave approval to Melania Torres to build her home on the said plot of land at San Jose.
“Dear Ms Torres, your letter of application to the Santa Rosa Village Council seeking permission to have a plot of land at San Jose to build your home where Leonard Torres once resided and where you are presently residing for the past 24 years has been approved by the Village Council at a meeting held on August 22, 2005,” that letter stated.
But the same council wrote to Melania Torres on January 11, 2012, telling her that she had until January 14, 2012 to vacate the premises. The letter said: “Please be informed that after a meeting held on January 11, 2012 in the village office with the Santa Rosa Village Council it was decided by the council that the house and land in the San Jose area legally belong to Mr Leonard Torres.
“There are documents to prove this fact. There are no records to show that this land was transferred to anyone previously. You are hereby given up to Saturday January 14, 2012 to relocate from the house belonging to Leonard Torres,” the letter signed by Village Captain Marco De Souza said.
Melania Torres said she was refusing to acknowledge the council’s letter as legally binding since, according to her, there were no supporting documents attached to it and it had what she referred to as false information.
“As a resident of Santa Rosa Village I urge that this issue be solved at the next village public meeting and I would accept whatever is the outcome in good faith,” Melania Torres said. She also wrote to the APA asking that body to intervene.
For her part, the minister wrote a letter to Pearson asking her to intervene on her behalf in the matter. The letter, dated January 10, 2012, reads thus: “With reference to the above captioned subject, I wish to share with you my father’s Mr Leonard Torres’ case. He is the lawful owner of a portion of land with a house erected thereon at San Jose, Santa Rosa Amerindian Village. His ownership was established by the Santa Rosa Village Council over a series of meetings which involved all parties with an interest in the land including his siblings to provide verification of the case.
“This property was illegally occupied during the last quarter of 2011 and since December 2011, Mr Torres has since been unable to access his home.”
In the letter, Minister Sukhai informed Pearson that a meeting to discuss the issue was scheduled for Wednesday January 11, 2012 at Santa Rosa.
“It it obvious that as the daughter of Mr Torres I would like to be by his side but due to my position as Minister of Amerindian Affairs, any engagement can be construed or interpreted as conflict of interest. This repeated request of Mr Torres for my intervention and support has caused me to request that you, as Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council attend this meeting and provide guidance on the issues that might arise in the case on behalf of my father and if necessary to the Santa Rosa Village Council on their request,” the minister wrote.
