By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THREE Haitians have been remanded to prison after a group of people, including some schoolchildren, allegedly attacked officials trying to demolish an illegal home in an Abaco shanty town.
Assistant Superintendent Gregory Barr yesterday confirmed that two women and one man were charged with disorderly behaviour and throwing missiles following the incident in the Mud, Marsh Harbour.
According to ASP Barr, a police officer accompanied officials from the Ministry of Works to demolish a house that had been built without permission on Wednesday.
Mr Barr said: “While the house was being taken down, persons attacked the [works official] and police by throwing rocks and missiles, also at the police car. They ran after reinforcements were called. We have apprehended three so far, but heavy downpours started so officers could not pursue due to rain. There were a number of persons, also school kids too.
“All persons who officers recognised will be pursued and dealt with.”
In the aftermath of the New Year’s Eve blaze that killed two people and left hundreds homeless in the Pigeon Pea area, the government mandated that no homes would be rebuilt.
The blaze comes on the heels of efforts to crackdown on shanty towns in New Providence through the prosecution of landowners.
Kenred Dorsett, Minister of Housing and the Environment, told The Tribune the government intends to pilot the initiative on New Providence first before their efforts spread to the family islands.
In an interview with the Tribune yesterday, MP Renardo Curry said: “We have stated orders that no building takes place in that area and sometimes they secretly build during the night, even though we put stop orders on the house they continue to build as if there is no law. All of the agencies are involved to ensure that at the end of the day all the laws of the land are upheld, we’re trying to help them, to ensure that these fires don’t happen again because they build the homes right on top of each other.”
Mr Curry added: “It’s a scary thought that people are throwing rocks at police officers who represent the law, so we’re going to have to watch this closely.”
The three remanded persons are expected to return to court on February 6.
Comments
TalRussell 10 years, 10 months ago
Run from rain drops. Really! Can you imagine what an chaotic run for cover scene it would have been up in Abaco, if the policeman's had actually been fired upon? Comrades am I to read this as an accurate statement made by Assistant Superintendent Policeman's Barr that those throwing missiles and rocks at his policeman's and works officials; "had ran after reinforcements were called. We have apprehended three so far, but heavy downpours started so officers could not pursue due to rain?" I've heard sea and rescue operations being called off cause of heavy rain but never during the purist of persons for attacking policeman's with missiles, rocks and things.
B.J.Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
....// http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hziG9Nr6…
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 10 months ago
Deez Bahamians you talking bout...rain is a serious ting
The_Oracle 10 years, 10 months ago
As if we should be surprised, afterall, you are there demolishing their homes! No matter how small, run down or improperly built, it is a persons home. Where are they to go now? Is the Government putting them up in alternate accommodations, or leaving them to find their own shelter? Disgraceful really.
lucaya 10 years, 10 months ago
@the_oracle- Please all yinna leave go back from whence yinna came,to much trouble in da land right now,yinna jus making tings worse,please go...
herecomestheboom 10 years, 10 months ago
The government doesn't provide every bahamian a place to live. I hope a haitian puts a shack up up in your backyard, you might change your tune...
tourist1001 10 years, 10 months ago
When I was in the ARMY, we fought hard. Unless it rained. Then we just retreated, till it became a beautiful day again. Look at this photo:
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…
TheMadHatter 10 years, 10 months ago
Nothing will be done with the Haitians in Abaco until they shut down the airport and only allow flights from Haiti to land.
On second thought, even then they will probably be allowed to just carry on.
TheMadHatter
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 10 months ago
I agree with the sentiment but performed in an orderly manner. It doesn't make sense to me to "act" then have school children attacking police officers. That could have been avoided if managed properly. If you know they're putting up structures at night, hire night watchmen...it takes more than 1hour to put up a house no matter how shoddy. PGC start thinking strategically PLEASE.
Every government to date has ignored illegal activity staring them in the face because the solutions are hard. If you can't do hard things don't run for office because that is what's required, men and women with strength, not weaklings. Lyal Bethel was right, lets pray that our leaders develop courage and wisdom. Everyone knows the law of the land and if you enforce it sensibly, noone can fault you.
That community is a slap in the face, a. They're squatting on land that doesn't belong to them b. They're building houses that could never pass building or health codes c. They're populated largely be illegal aliens.
Any of those three conditions should have forced 40yrs of government to address the problem. the fact that it hasn't happened to date means..SOMEONE IS PROFITING OFF THE BACKS OF THESE HARDWORKING PEOPLE, either someone in government or their friend, family or lover. And if it's the police or defence force officers, fire them. It's obvious which officers are assigned to the island, should be equally obvious who's not carrying out their duties.
AND MINISTRY OF WORKS get to work cleaning up Nassau! Take down all the haphazardly erected signs on lamppost, billboards on the beach, signs on street medians, signs on chain link fencing, signs on the side of hills out west (absolutely disgusting), billboards by street lights. TAKE THEM DOWN. they look disgusting. How can you spend millions of dollars to attract people to a dirty place?
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT do something about pedestrians haphazardly crossing the street. It's really getting ridiculous. Grown men and women are crossing in front of cars going 30 miles an hour. That is insane! Little kids are playing red river with traffic, you see them on the side of the road with their little feet inching into the street and you never know if they're going to dash in front of you. I never stop for them (no I'm not cruel, I slow down but I'm not encouraging that bad lesson that they can cross wherever they feel like). Walk to the crosswalk or at minimum don't be crazy trying to cross at an intersection. I saw a crazy woman the other day walking diagonally from the south east point of the intersection by marathon and Robinson road straight over to the mall. What is that??? That's suicide.
Sorry to get off topic
HolandObserver 10 years, 10 months ago
how are we suppose to reach out and help our Haitian brother and sister when we have people behaving like this. Yes, this was their 'home' but if you live in Rome you must do as the Romans do. This is just utter lawlessness..
carmichaelrdgal 10 years, 10 months ago
Start in Nassau too now. Milo Butler Highyway left side going towards carmichael rd, just in back of the government subdivision-High tree Estates. What a shame. Is like they try to hide by leave little bush in front near the highway.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 10 months ago
One of the architects of The Mud sits quietly on the Opposition front bench today
Go find him and interview him.............. then see if he has any answers to this social mess in the heart of Marsh Harbour
Its called TREASON
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 10 months ago
Like I said, the only reason this settlement could have sat in our face for so long..someone big is profiting
rony 10 years, 10 months ago
If I had my way I would ship every living soul out the mud. That's the actions of a judgement "Bully" I never liked people that always push their luck! They are wrong for attacking the police. I have heard so much s##t about "the mud". " Bahamians if you are not prepared to fight for your country you don't deserve to have it".
pablojay 10 years, 10 months ago
Can you imagine any foreigners in Haiti throwing missiles at the gendarme ? Those who were not shot and killed on the spot would be killed later in jail. But this is the Bahamas, a country of laws, especially for Bahamians! I am getting to the point now ,due to the inability of our successive governments to rein in this Haitian situation, where i am constantly wondering whether i should learn to sing the national anthem in creole.
pablojay 10 years, 10 months ago
If we do not arrest and reduce this Haitian situation, someday when we or our descendants go to the U.S. and they hear surnames like Ferguson,Johnson, Rolle,Thompson,etc, they would think we are from Jamaica, because Bahamian surnames do not sound like that.
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