00:00But the only way we can start drafting these state grants to give to citizens is we have to have
00:08a special printer to print on the booklet.
00:11But you want to know something, Minister? We don't have the printer right now.
00:16So I said, okay. She said, but you also want to know what happens after?
00:21We have, because of the format of the state grant being a booklet, it's not single leaf paper, it's a
00:26booklet,
00:27we have to have a typewriter, 2026.
00:32We need to have a typewriter to type in the information on the document.
00:37It's the reason why hundreds of people had been waiting on state grants from the Commissioner of State Lands.
00:44And it's just one of a number of shortcomings which the Minister of Land and Legal Affairs, Saddam Hussein, says
00:50he is addressing since taking office.
00:54Immediately, while working through the Ministry and also the Office of the Commission of State Lands, we went to Cabinet.
01:01We modernized the form.
01:03So therefore, an ordinary printer, something as small as that, today can ensure that we have state grants prepared in
01:11a more efficient and expeditious manner.
01:14In December last year, we delivered 100 state grants to persons who have paid their monies for their lands, maybe
01:22for a decade old.
01:23And they have not received their lands.
01:25The Minister has also prioritized the distribution of lands to former county workers, with over 600 such persons receiving their
01:34residential leases.
01:35There are over 2,000 more that we have to distribute.
01:39We have begun the land clearing exercises throughout the various sites that have already been earmarked for the ex-carine
01:47workers.
01:47You would have seen clearing activities at various parts of Trinidad for that to happen.
01:52I must also say that we have restarted this program since we became into government,
01:59because the last and former administration left this matter untouched.
02:04The Minister was speaking at a handover ceremony to vest lands from the Commissioner's Office to NGC.
02:11He's vowing to address a number of land tenure issues.
02:15The HGC is an example where the former administration decided to build 100 units in Quora on what we know
02:25as HCL lands,
02:27which form part of the entire Clico conglomerate.
02:30They built 100 housing units on those lands.
02:35And today, the HGC cannot issue one single deed of lease for any of the purchasers.
02:41You know why?
02:41Because the title was never vested in the state.
02:45Meantime, as it concerns Hilton, the minister remains tight-lipped,
02:49and he's dismissing claims that government is in negotiations with a UNC financier.
02:56And that's exactly what it is, speculation.
02:59At no point in time did we announce that there's a new lessee or anything like that.
03:05Immediately upon Hilton issuing certain letters to the employees and the union,
03:11E-Tech would have responded and indicated that there have been advanced negotiations
03:18and talks between E-Tech and the Hilton.
03:22At this point in time, those conversations are very mature.
03:26For me to comment now will be irresponsible and reckless of me.
03:30Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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03:32News.
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