New Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat says Super Industrial Services Limited (SIS) is holding the State to ransom over two land transactions involving the former Caroni 1975 Limited’s agricultural land.
Rambharat made the claim during his maiden contribution in the Senate yesterday as legislators debated the 2016 national budget which was presented on October 7 by Finance Minister Colm Imbert in the Parliament Chamber, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.
Dealing with the first transaction, a 30-acre parcel, for a commercial lease in 2001 by Caroni Ltd, Rambharat said:
“It was used for stockpiling material, buildings were constructed and it was used for what I consider to be a complete industrial purpose.”
He said while he was employed at Caroni Ltd he demanded that SIS paid the premium and commercial rent that was due for those lands but the company resisted.
But he said between 2001 and 2002 the company paid the premium and the commercial rent for the land.
The minister recalled the Commissioner of State Lands wrote to SIS on August 11, 2014 informing it of an outstanding rent of more than $7.3 million.
He said on September 3, 2014, the commissioner apologised to SIS for asking it to pay commercial rates.
“Since then,” Rambarath added, “SIS has been in the position where the Government owes SIS because having paid that $1 million in 2001/02, that covers the period they have been in occupation of that land.”
Rambharat said that was “because it is regarded as agricultural land and the taxpayers have lost revenue on account of it.”
He also spoke about a second transaction involving a 75-acre of land, which he said had become “contentious.”
He said that transaction started in 2001 when “SIS asked permission to occupy a parcel of land and the Government of the day agreed.”
He said to date and despite the fact that Town and Country Planning has stated the land was agricultural land which formed a buffer between the industrial estate and the residential area, SIS continued to occupy that land.”
The minister said the Commissioner of Valuation said the land was valued at $300 million.
SIS attorney Roopchand Chadeesingh declined comment on the minister’s claims yesterday.