Farmers in St Ann are losing out their land to bauxite mining

Several residents of Stepney, Nine Miles, Higgins Land and neighbouring communities in rural St Ann have said they are worried that they have not been able to identify suitable parcels of land on which to continue farming since they were displaced by bauxite mining expansion.

The disgruntled residents plight results from a decision by Bauxite Company Noranda to begin mining operations on lands in sections of these communities, located in the constituency of South West St Ann.

The residents, most of whom are small farmers, asserted that they had been farming on the bauxite lands for several generations, and have nowhere else to go, as most of the land in the area is owned by the bauxite company. They have also complained that they have not been receiving assistance from their political representatives.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer recently, one resident who gave his name as Boris, pointed to a bulldozer as it ploughed through what used to be his farm.

Late last year, the affected farmers mounted a demonstration and blocked the Stepney main road as they tried to highlight what they cited as the unfair practices of the bauxite company. Among other things, the farmers claimed they weren't properly compensated for their produce that was destroyed when they were forcibly removed from the plots of land.

However, their claims were rejected by a representative of the bauxite company, who explained that adequate notice had been given to the farmers that they were being evicted, and that they were sufficiently compensated.

However, those efforts she said were put on hold due to the intervention of political representatives, including former Member of Parliament for South East St Ann, Seymour Mullings, who had requested an extension on the farmers' behalf. Robb-Odman said although the farmers have been displaced, the bauxite company has been helpful, and has even promised to make the lands available to them once the reclamation process is completed.

She added that the company has also offered to expose farmers to greenhouse farming which requires less land space.