00:00 There are close to 100,000 squatters in Trinidad and Tobago.
00:06 And with many factors to consider on the issue, the Land Settlement Agency laments that it's
00:11 caught in the middle.
00:12 This is strong arguments for and against demolition of illegal structures were presented during
00:17 the LSA secondary schools debating competition, which saw Bishops Tobago walk away with the
00:22 top prize.
00:23 Vanessa Cutting has the highlights.
00:26 60,000 squatting families on state land and counting.
00:34 That's the numbers.
00:35 That's the stark reality.
00:37 20,000 families squatting on private lands and some estimates put it closer to 30,000
00:44 families on private lands now.
00:47 In total, we are getting very close to 100,000 families squatting in Trinidad.
00:56 In Tobago.
00:57 With environmental, humanitarian, legal, economic and psychosocial factors at play, the Land
01:04 Settlement Agency laments the issue of how best to treat with squatting is a contentious
01:10 one.
01:11 We have the Commissioner of State Lands, and I must make this point, who is students who
01:16 is responsible for deterring squatting.
01:20 Don't hold the LSA responsible.
01:23 We have the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development who is responsible
01:28 for providing alternatives.
01:33 And we have the Land Settlement Agency caught in between, regularizing squatters and also
01:42 providing alternatives, such programs as the government-aided self-housing program and
01:49 the housing and village improvement program.
01:51 With myriad conflicting arguments on the matter, the LSA held a debate competition for secondary
01:56 schools.
01:57 The topic, whether the most effective method to deter squatting on state lands is the removal
02:03 of illegal structures, supporting this theory were students of Napaima College.
02:08 We must follow the example of Singapore in setting a precedent so that persons know not
02:13 to squat because it will be removed.
02:15 We must enforce our existing legislation so that squatters fear the cost of removal.
02:21 And lastly, the alternatives that have been tried and tested, and they have all failed.
02:29 The removal is the most effective way to deter squatting.
02:35 And St. Mary's College.
02:37 Over 9,000 new illegal structures were erected between the years 2010 to 2022 because of
02:44 this restriction.
02:45 Let us examine a concrete example.
02:47 Blake Avenue, Sandy Grandy, 2009.
02:51 In just five years, the status of Blake Avenue witnessed an escalation from zero to over
02:55 500 illegal squatting settlements because of this.
03:00 Needless to say, they came up against strong opposition with team presentation college
03:05 shook one eye, highlighting the humanitarian side of the situation.
03:09 We must recognize the importance of due process and human dignity when addressing squatting.
03:17 The arbitrary removal of homes denies individuals the opportunity to present their cases.
03:25 And this approach, which the opposition's, which the proposition seems to favor, only
03:29 leads to an increase in affecting marginalized communities, perpetuating the cycle of poverty
03:38 and disadvantage.
03:39 Team Bishops High School Tobago suggested viable alternatives, more effective solutions
03:44 to the to squatting, such as the effective monitoring of state assets, creating more
03:50 affordable housing programs and relocating squatters to designated land settlement areas.
03:57 When the points were tallied, it was Bishops Tobago who emerged victorious.
04:06 Squatters have committed to taking all points made on board as they move forward.
04:11 Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
04:29 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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