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| Ex-Caroni worker Aziz Mohammed draws for his plot of agricultural land at Rienzi Complex yesterday, as Minister in the Ministry of Finance Christine Sahadeo, left, and All Sugar and General Workers Trade Union President Rudy Indarsingh, third from left, look on.Photo: Adrian Boodan |
More than 600 ex-Caroni (1975) Ltd employees selected their two-acre plots of agricultural lands yesterday morning.
This came two years after the company folded as a sugar producing entity. Workers went home with a cash settlement, retraining options in industrial and agricultural skills and were promised lands for agriculture and housing as part of their settlement package.
The first to select his plot was Aziz Mohammed, 49, of Orange Grove. Mohammed was initially chosen to select a plot at Orange Grove Estate but pulled a blank selection slip from the box. Blanks were put in because the Orange Grove area was oversubscribed. Mohammed had to then select a plot from the Caroni section.
Mohammed, who comes from an agricultural background and is currently involved in agricultural marketing, said he was overwhelmed and fortunate to get the land: “I am looking forward to actually putting the lands to productive use. My initial intention was to do things like paw paw and hot peppers and so on for the local market.”
Mohammed, who was shown the location of his plot on a map, said he may be approaching Nedco or the ADB for financial assistance.
He said he plans to start production as soon as the plot becomes available but has to first make an assessment of the area and its present infrastructure before deciding as to what crop to venture into.
Speaking during the short ceremony before the selection process took place, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Christine Sahadeo said that Caroni will distribute lands to the families of VSEP beneficiaries who have died.
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