The last time we reported on grassroots organization, BGYEA, is was to inform you that Government had not met with them in mediation to resolve the dispute over the Harmonyville buffer zone land.
As we've told you, the organization wants to use parts of the road reserve area to plant corn. They say that it will generate much needed revenue to upgrade the infrastructure of their community, which Central Government has already informed them that they must do on their own.
As we've told you, the Lands Department has stopped them with an injunction which has since been lifted, but BGYEA's executive has given an undertaking not to move forward with their plans until a resolution of the court challenge has taken place. BGYEA says that they've been patiently trying to get the Government representatives to sit down and observe the court ordered mediation sessions with them. They problem is, they say, is that for several sessions now, they've had to postpone because Government has refused to show up.
Today was yet another session that GOB didn't show up to, and after the cancellation, the President spoke with the media to express their frustration at what they say is a calculation by the state to sabotage a peaceful resolution:
Nigel Petillo, President, BGYEA
"This mediation was actually scheduled for November 26th, which was earlier this week. We came for mediation and the government didn't show up, well the government's representative. There was a later extension to that mediation which would have been for today, November 28th, 2 p.m. Again, we are here again and we've been back and forth trying to comply with this mediation process, wanting this mediation process to work. Mediation is actually an act of goodwill, we want to work out this thing the right way. We don't want any gripes, we don't want to seem as if we are quarreling or anything. We want to do this together for the betterment, so we are disappointed to see that today that the government haven't shown up. Apart from that, what's interesting is that the government has changed lawyers, where at first they were being represented by Mr. Nigel Hawke, the government's prosecutor, it has been now handed over to Barrow and Williams Law Firm, one of the number one law firm in this country. This is the Prime Minister's law firm. Is that an act of goodwill? Why did you go that route? Why is it that we can't sit down with both representatives and meet on neutral grounds? Now it seems as though we're set for trial now because since mediation didn't work out it means we are to meet for court Monday December 1st. So there's no indication from the government's side to say well we want this thing work out, we want to see how we could work with Harmonyville and the idea of building its own revenue and building its community, so it's not about wanting to seem disrespectful or just planting corn here it's about building dialogue, communicating for the betterment of our people and for country by extension. So yes, we are disappointed that the government didn't choose the route which was sanctioned by the courts as well. This is a court ordered mediation."
So, because the Government has not attended this last mediation session, the case as to go to full trial, which starts next week Monday at 10 a.m.We'll be there to update you.
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