Squatters' shacks torn down
Gyasi Gonzales gyasi.gonzales@trinidadexpress.com
Saturday, June 19th 2010
THE STATE flexed its muscles yesterday, breaking down scores of squatter houses recently erected at Cashew Gardens, Longdenville, Chaguanas.
Squatters began claiming tracts of land since last week, citing that People’s Partnership politicians had promised lands for the homeless while they were on the hustings.
Housing and Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, however, advised them to stop the construction since it was illegal. He also told the squatters the issue would be dealt with, as squatting would not be tolerated.
Around 2.15 p.m. yesterday, a demolition crew arrived at Cashew Gardens along with officers of the Guard and Emergency Branch, Central Division Task Force, Regiment and officers from a private security firm-Smartt Security.
None of the police or soldiers present, who were heavily armed, were involved in actual breaking down of the small huts.
Armed with sledgehammers, crowbars and shovels, the crew began dismantling the small wooden and galvanize houses. Their action was met by defiance, verbal abuse and tears from those who had put up the homes.
’Why my children must suffer,’ said 25-year-old Stacy Ann-Marrasse as the crew began tearing down her hut.
Days earlier, Marasse’s little hut, which was erected the week before, contained a bed, couch, stove, windows and the floor was laid with vinyl. There was no electricity leading to the house but there was a refrigerator and a microwave, all of which she was told to remove or else it would be part of the rubble.
She held court with reporters just before the sledgehammers began pounding down her house, stating, ’They (the People’s Partnership Government) supposed to be making a brighter way for the people. She (Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar) said we will rise but she mean we will fall. Why we children must suffer?’
Her hut was soon no more.
Chief among those protesting the demolition was Selwyn ’Robocop’ Alexis. He too claimed land, about five acres, stating that he was going to use it for agriculture to get errant youths out of a life of crime and into farming. He too was not spared yesterday, with his little camp being among the first structures to be ripped down. Alexis, however, told the media that some of the recent squatters were spared, adding ’what they could do to one they could do to all’.
Justice of the Peace and operation’s manager for Smartt Security, Hamid Mohammed, later told reporters some homes were spared because they could not yet ascertain whether they were legitimate or not. He also explained that when they entered the area, a lot of the hastily-erected shacks were unoccupied, adding people only returned when they heard the demolition crew had moved in.
’I can’t say whether this is a humane action or not, I am simply a servant of the State,’ Mohammed said.
The Land and Settlement Agency (LSA) Act, which came into effect on January 1, 1998, authorises the State to demolish any illegally constructed house on State lands. The law further states that the occupier of the land is, ’liable to ejectment according to law without any compensation or pecuniary benefit’.
