By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
DEMOLITION efforts in the Gamble Heights community on Friday left scores of residents "hopeless and homeless", many of whom claimed they were not given any notice by government officials and landowners.
However, in a joint statement released by the Department of Environmental Health Services and the Department of Immigration, officials maintained that Friday's operation was "pursuant to lawful notices served on residents of an unlawful settlement".
Additionally, immigration officials claimed that they were advised that the community housed suspected unlawful migrants.
Kirklyn Neely, officer in charge of enforcement in the Department of Immigration told The Tribune that despite the claims of many of the residents, notices were given.
He added that in some instances, notices were sent out last year, but after concerns were raised by other government agencies - Social Services, Department of Environmental Health in particular - a number of grace periods were granted in the hope that residents would lawfully vacate the property.
Mr Neely indicated that those notices were "openly ignored and overlooked".
He added: "Our intention is to rid the Bahamas of all shanty towns. We are doing it in a decent and respectable way. This is the first stage of a long process. We had to start somewhere. Gamble Heights is a huge area and we have tried, for some time now to address this matter. (Friday) is our starting point.
"Environmental health had identified structures that needed to be taken down. Those structures were removed first, notices were given."
According to Mr Neely, officials have been in communication with the property's owner, Patrick Charles, for an extended period of time.
Mr Charles admitted at the scene to The Tribune that the issues of illegal constitution and housing of illegal migrants had grown "well beyond something I, one man could control". Now, he said, the shanty town presented serious health issues.
Mr Charles said the six-acre property had been in his family for generations and passed down to him, by which time elements of the problem were already flourishing.
"When the property was given to me there were some homes already here. Daddy allowed them to build a couple of structures around the property. He collected rent the right way and as time went on and he got sick, things got out of hand." Mr Charles said he had tried to collect rent but had failed, being given excuses by the residents.
He went on to state that following a massive fire in a shanty town in the eastern section of New Providence, the "Mackey Yard", many of the displaced residents there sought shelter in the Gamble Heights area.
"They came here. Those that ask me to build, I told them they could for a small fee. Social Services and other government groups told me that I could work with the legal ones to assist. Everyone came crying to me and I tried to help as best I could."
The Gamble Heights community now boast more than 150 structures, a church, a number of stalls and houses hundreds of residents, some legal and others illegal.
Many saddened, and some angered, looked on in disbelief as a bulldozer tore down dozens of structures in the shanty town community in southern New Providence.
Those that The Tribune spoke to expressed concern over the ordeal, with many questioning the legitimacy of Mr Charles' ownership claims.
One resident noted that he had lived on the property just as long as Mr Charles' parents and alleged that there were a number of landowners claiming ownership of portions of the property.
That resident, who wished to remain anonymous, accused Mr Charles of using his family's seniority and respect in the community to extort money from new residents in the community.
Another said that 25 per cent of the residents were Bahamian and that he was concerned for the children, who called the shanty town home.
Officials on the ground all identified Mr Charles as the property's rightful owner.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Department of Social Services contended on Friday that procedures were in place to aid those affected by the demolition process.
Earlier this month a 25-year-old man was stoned to death in Gamble Heights. That came two months after police fatally shot 30-year-old Nixon Vixamar, after he reportedly resisted arrest.
Following the shooting of Mr Vixamar, officers who were in the community came under attack.
According to reports, police vehicles were targeted, some pelted with stones.
Demolition efforts are expected to continue throughout the weekend.
Comments
John 9 years ago
Call it hurricane PLP or Dorsette. Same thing either way CRY SHAME! Everyone who support this government should not sleep this night. Conscience!
lazybor 9 years ago
terrible...
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JohnBrown 9 years ago
Reprehensible!
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
It's not "terrible" for the police officers to do their jobs correctly. People cannot be allowed to construct wherever they want without proper sanitary considerations
What is "terrible" is that our illegal immigration problem has BEEN ALLOWED to get this bad so that someone in the Dept of Immigration could pocket money, just like Mr Charles. Terrible is the fact that while Bahamians and non-Bahamians live in these conditions, our cabinet ministers seem to go from bankrupt to millionaires in five years, be rewarded with greater responsibility after openly STEALING from the treasury, and have the gaul to walk around without paper bags on their heads.that is terrible.
Sorry for these people. But these towns need to go. Can you imagine the death toll if that hurricane had passed through Nassau? all of the galvanized sheeting flying around?
Perry Christie needs to, once in his life, work for the money he's being paid. Fire Alfred Grey, Bernard Nottage, Shane Gibson, Brave Davis, Kenred Dorsette, Jerome Fitzgerald, Allyson Maynard-Gibson. These people are not suited for positions where they must put others above themselves, and that's a requirement for an effective government and country. That's the first step. The next is repeat in leadership positions in the public service.
GrassRoot 9 years ago
my friend, how about we send these assets to the islands to help rebuild? Every immigration officer/police officer can be used for that. Making even more people homeless these days does not make sense, is unnecessary and does not resolve anything. so leave it alone. Of course it is a health hazard and an immigration issue. But hey, no one in this government gives a rats a## about broken traffic lights, cars driving without insurance, people shooting people, or corruption. So why now and why this. They just need to set up another smokescreen to hide their incapability to deal with Joaquin. This government is just dumb.
Tarzan 9 years ago
This country's independence was founded on the belief that fundamental human rights trump unjust laws!
This government conduct is shameful. What are these poor people supposed to do? Where will they shelter tonight? Many have no country to which they can turn? Many were born in the Bahamas. Fred and his minions act as if they can just move into a hotel room or something tonight. "Nothing to see here."
These are poor, dispossessed persons, with no where to turn. How callous. How cruel. How can Fred live with himself? All this unnecessary misery for some small political advantage?
Hitler and Fred's pals the Castro brothers are among the few who could be proud of such policies.
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
Btw Mr Charles is a disgrace
"When the property was given to me there were some homes already here. Daddy allowed them to build a couple of structures around the property. He collected rent the right way and as time went on and he got sick, things got out of hand." Mr Charles said he had tried to collect rent but had failed, being given excuses by the residents
In 2015, what is the "RIGHT" way to collect rent for a structure that doesn't have indoor plumbing and electricity?
Cas0072 9 years ago
I am not defending this guy, whom I don't know, but are they not required to collect rent as evidence that they own the property? Otherwise, the squatters can acquire said land by proving that they have been the one's maintaining it. I hope the bill for this is passed along to Mr. Charles and all others who allow these communities to flourish on their properties.
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
I didn't know that, that's crazy if true....but I don't buy it as justification. What's the incentive for the owner to remove these slums from his land if he's profiting? $50 times 100 homes is $5,000 per month. He says his father "allowed" a few people to build. Meaning his father had the option to tell the first set of squatters you can't come on my land with those structures. But he didn't do that, he got paid.
Cas0072 9 years ago
This is long overdue. These people would have found alternate accommodations if the community was destroyed by hurricane or fire. They will do the same thing in this instance.
John 9 years ago
The fact that is 'terrible' is when you kick people on to the streets and in to the elements. The timing was bad as half the country is recovering from hurricane damage and in need of assistance. Now you, in an instant, make another few hundred people homeless and tell them 'go to Social Services for whatever assistance you need.' Why couldn't Social Services be involved in the first instance so that it could have been a seamless transition from the illegal shanty towns to proper housing. Social Services is presently having a difficult time trying to find suitable accommodations for those persons who were evacuated from crooked Islands and parts of Long Island. Now this makes a bigger crisis.
sealice 9 years ago
Freddy's goon squads made the front page YAY!!
GrassRoot 9 years ago
where is birdie when we need it???
birdiestrachan 9 years ago
II do believe these persons were given notices. this is the same place where the rock was thrown into the Police car windshield. The Laws of the land should be for all, Why should some be allowed to build illegal structures and others have to buy property and pay for permits .before they can build. This should serve as notice for others in Nassau and Abaco who build illegal structures . I can assure you they have more money than most of us do.
GrassRoot 9 years ago
I prefer a rock into the Police car windshield over a bullet in one our childrens chest. And yes the Laws of the land should be for all, Politicians included. This should serve as a notice for others in Nassau and Abaco and Blackbeard Cay who build illegal structures. I can assure you they have more money than most of us do.
John 9 years ago
Well the people in Long Island, Crooked Island, San Salvador, etc., only wished they were given notices, and their homes were legal...need I say more? When you mistreat people, the country suffers.
Sickened 9 years ago
Agreed! Government has been mistreating the very same people who voted them in, for 40+ years now and we are all suffering as a result.
We need enforce our laws as they stand and at the same time amend all of the out-of-date laws.
We also need to focus on the corruption law and kick some of these crooked politicians out on the street and into the same slum they are trying to clean up.
birdiestrachan 9 years ago
John the Hurricane that destroyed homes in those Islands has nothing to do with the removal of shanty towns they should not have been constructed in the first place The Bahamas is the only place that would have allowed these illegal dwellings. Pray tell John there is a hurricane on the way to the Philippines , Which shanty towns have they destroyed.?. All persons who live in shanty towns should prepare to move, it is the right thing to do.
John 9 years ago
You missed my point completely. My point is that if the government could destroy the shanty town then tell the residents to "go to social services for whatever assistance you need". They could also have said " go to social services for whatever assistance you need". Then destroy the shanty houses. By their own admission only a few of the residents living there were illegal. Hurricanes do not discriminate on what and who they destroy of kill.
My2cents 9 years ago
We cannot blame the government for everything. The article clearly stated that the process was delayed in part to concerns by social services, so on some level they were involved. So why would common sense not tell these people to use social services as a resource beforehand? Why does the government have to explicitly direct them on what to do? Should they keep delaying indefinitely until people decided to act? What if they never did?
banker 9 years ago
Sad. Just plain sad. My momma would say "There but for the grace of God, go I". Another unsolvable problem in the socio-economic fabric of the Bahamas.
My2cents 9 years ago
No time would have ever been the "right" time and it had to be done. There is nothing humane about allowing human beings to live under shanty town conditions. I will never understand why some are so easily exempt from personal responsibility. The Government did what they needed to do.
This time the "victims" are also the offenders. They were on notice since last year of this possibility. In fact, they should have felt notified on day one of residing in these dwellings. The only reason they have not made alternate arrangements is because of their disregard for law. Those who are illegal I'm sure will be accommodated at the CRDC and later in their home country. Those who are legal could seek help from charitable organizations, churches, families and friends...just as others who find themselves homeless are forced to do.
LegalEye 9 years ago
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE... THE GOVT. REMOVES ILLEGAL HOMES...WE HAVE A PROBLEM THE RESIDENTS STONE AND INJURE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHILE THEY DO THEIR JOBS...WE HAVE A PROBLEM WE REPATRIATE ILLEGALS AND UNDESIRABLES TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES...WE HAVE A PROBLEM... LAWS WERE MADE FOR THE LAWLESS AND IF AND WHEN PERSONS WHO RESIDE IN THIS PARADISE WE CALL HOME OFFEND THOSE LAWS, IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE GOVT. TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE OFFENDERS AND LET THEM HAVE THEIR WAY. SHOULD THE GOVT. RENEGE ON ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING (ENFORCE THE LAWS OF A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY) IT CONTINUES TO PERPETUATE THE CYCLE OF LAWLESSNESS & ANARCHY WE ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY. SO TELL ME...WHATS THE PROBLEM??
ThisIsOurs 9 years ago
I am really sorry for these people, at the same time the country must send a message that this will not be accepted. A very hard problem.
bismark 9 years ago
This should have been done a long time ago,we as a people are to lax in our laws,those illegal structures should have never been allowed to be built in the first place,people will always complain about when the govt starts to put their foot down,it has to start somewhere,now I hope it continues,many of these illegal communities are around and need to be Eradicated,Joe Farrington Road,Fire Trail Road,Bacardi Road,these communities are in full view of authorities,round them up and send them back without no status,those that are here legally,let them go and get proper housing,these
villages are a no no and they must be and will be Eradicated in due time.
John 9 years ago
Part of the problem is that there is discrimination in housing. Most landlords will not knowingly rent their apartment to Haitians. Through no fault of their own. Most of these people have not been expose do to indoor plumbing and electricity and do not know how to properly maintain same. This will cost landlords additional maintenance ecpense
SP 9 years ago
................................................. What took so long? .................................................
This was the first step on a long, hard, decades overdue journey to rid the country of illegally constructed shanty towns.
Be they Bahamian, Haitian or European residents, the bottom line is shanty towns are illegal, a health and environmental hazard, a pending disaster, the breeding ground for every nefarious activity imaginable, and as proven by the recent blatant disrespect to rule of law the embryo of descent to organized terrorism.
43 years of political stupidity and apathy toward shantytowns have suddenly come full circle to the detriment of those that allowed this cancer to fester in our country.
Government needs to systematically move forward with haste with the dismantling of all shantytowns as a major deterrent to illegal immigrants and criminals, who's first course of action upon arrival is to seek shelter in shantytowns.
Sickened 9 years ago
I think most of these people will move to another shanty town on which the property will be owned by a senior government official and the shanty town will be untouchable for decades. These people are just the part of the society that will probably never be able to afford proper housing, and unfortunately our government cannot afford to provide proper housing to everyone.
This process is not solving the issue. Destroying a rat nest doesn't get rid of the rats!!
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrades hopefully one day we will see a Tribune front page headline that reads:
"Government Bahamaland Confiscates Land From Its Private Owners For Collected Rents Whilst Knowing It Was being Used As An illegal Shanty Town".
Land will be sold off to citizens at a government subsidized discount who are first-time home buyers. Proceeds from the sale lots to be used to help the nation's own citizens.
Until you financially punish the pockets of the landowners this nonsense will continue. By some accounts there may be as many as 30 more of these disgusting Shanty Towns scattered across our Bahamaland.
There must be zero tolerance by any political party, or any need to think that the nation should share-in any responsibility to any and all illegals who occupy them.
Wideawake 9 years ago
Confiscation of the land on which these shanty towns have been built may be too extreme. Simply enforce the law; if landowners collect rents from illegal immigrants, legal immigrants or Bahamians, who build illegal structures on their land, the landowners are clearly breaking the Law! They can easily be prosecuted under numerous laws and by-laws pertaining to zoning, planning permission, sanitation requirements etc. etc.
To my mind the Landowners are clearly the real law-breakers and the shanty town dwellers are clearly the exploited victims!! The buck stops with the landowners; name, shame and prosecute these law-breakers and the existence of the shanty towns will become a thing of the past.
Successive Governments, as usual, have dragged their feet on the Shanty Town issue and because of this share the blame for the present dilemma, and have a responsibility to protect the legal Shanty Town residents from this type of exploitation.
Small, (800-1200 sq.ft), prefabricated (sectional, factory built) houses, set close together, on concrete foundations with proper, up to code, water, electricity and septic tanks need not be too expensive, and would provide adequate, legal and affordable low-cost housing for low income families, whether legal immigrants or Bahamians.
There is clearly a need for this type of REAL low-cost housing, and with Government supported low-cost financing could be a feasible and humane solution to a pressing social need.
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade WideAwake do not allow your emotions to confuse you. I know of NO other nation on the face this earth that has a policy permitting non-citizens to do things of which the government has and would charge and arrest their own citizens for. The law today has on its books the right for the courts to order the confiscation of lands, boats, vehicles, bank accounts, along with the other assets from citizens and residents who have used them in the act of law breaking.
Wideawake 9 years ago
Tal, you are the one who is confused. Most civilized countries do not differentiate between LEGAL immigrants and citizens, with regards to their right to rent legal, affordable housing!!
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade are you suggesting the government of the United Kingdom are uncivilized? Good Lord, our Queen lives there.
If you are an Illegal immigrant to the UK and you rent you can face eviction without court order under new laws. UK now require ALL Landlords to check tenants’ immigration status or face a "five-year jail term".
UK has now decided to crackdown on renting to anyone illegally in the country. They intend to reduce UK’s appeal as a migrant destination.
Comrade, in Haiti they believe in the appeal of Bahamaland, as an easy migrant destination. Is that true?
Has any government of our nation, ever ran advertising advising Haitian nationals, not to come to Bahamaland as an illegal. The answer is NO.
I been biting my tongue, not to mention Papa Hubert's name when discussing illegal Haitians. You remember what Papa was most know for, right?
Wideawake 9 years ago
Tal you are still not reading my post! Nowhere did I say it was OK for any illegal immigrant to even be in The Bahamas!
ILLEGAL immigrants have no right to be in The Bahamas! LEGAL immigrants have papers that say they have the right to reside in The Bahamas and therefore the right to rent decent affordable accommodation!
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade are you one those bloggers who sip away on cool ones while blogging. I ask cuz you forgets what you posts. Curious what's your cold beverage of choice on a Saturday night? Doesn't thinks its like a soda pop - unless as a mixer.
John 9 years ago
Squatting is as old as the bible. And while no one has issue with government dismantling the shanty towns. It just has to be done in a more humane and systematic fashion. Parts of this island have been flooding at least for the past six weeks. This weekend was probably the worst. When you take the little possessions poor people have and put them out in the rain to be stolen or destroyed are you not creating an even bigger problem? Because when these people eventually find a place to stay they no longer have a bed, a fridge, a stove, or even clothing. They may also have lost their dignity, so they are now angry and so society pays. While some of the homes in Bain and Grants Town may be legal, some are in worse conditions than the Shanty Towns. There is no water, no light, the roof may be ready to fall in and in some plywood placed on the ground serves as the floor. This is a sign of desperation. Poor people will always be around and so will immigrants. Over eight million people had to flee their homes in Iraq and Syria because of the war. Many travelled hundreds of miles on foot to seek refuge in Europe. They had to leave all their worldly possessions behind and only had hope to keep them alive. They are now trying to work agreements with the US and Canada to take in some of these people. And if the effects of global warming means rising tides and coastal flooding, all of us may soon have to seek higher ground.
SP 9 years ago
..................................... Horse-shyt & Poppycock ..............................
These people had over 12 months notice to vacate the property and choose to ignore government.
Nothing more "humane and systematic" is remotely fathomable.
They challenged government and paid the price, which now set precedents for all shantytown residents that FINALLY government actually said something and followed through on it!
We must start the process somewhere before shantytowns overrun the country bringing along unimaginable social ills.
GOOD JOB GOVERNMENT......NOW IMMEDIATELY MOVE FORWARD!
Sickened 9 years ago
Indeed, God is, and always has been, very cruel to a chosen few. To some, God is good, to others...
John 9 years ago
The fact is 8 million people had to flee their oil-rich countries and become refugees in strange lands while IsIs plans to sell off their oil and pocket the cash, or set the oil fields on fire if they are chased out.
SP 9 years ago
............ Map: The walls Europe is building to keep people out ...........
Reality facts: European countries are now building walls as fast as they can to keep illegal migrants out!
NOBODY, ANYWHERE are allowing illegal shantytowns be built!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wor…
We cannot allow any further proliferation of illegal shantytowns to the detriment of the entire Bahamas!
The_Oracle 9 years ago
So where do these people go? Legal or illegal, they are now homeless, probably angry whether well founded or not. What is needed is a cohesive multi Governmental departmental plan, not night of the long knives or one rout. Churches and social assistance groups should be a part of any plan. We are now faced with the folly of our own stupidity. 40+ years worth of stupidity.
John 9 years ago
Money and other resources that could have gone to help the Southern Islands will now have to go to assist them.
TruePeople 9 years ago
All y'all who clap hands at the sufferation of poor people need to get y'all house mowed down too! CHUH! PLP dem only good an break down tings, but can't never build up nuttin. And who it is they target on first??? Poor people. and dey gone say dey is poor peoples party. bey CHUH!!!!!
jackbnimble 9 years ago
From all accounts, the notices to vacate were ignored so I have a difficult time feeling sorry for the legals much less the illegals. This problem has been festering too darned long.
Good job Immigration. Next!
John 9 years ago
Hitler built gas chambers and incinerators to get rid of persons he despised. If you were not blonde haired and blue eyed, that was your fate. Then come closer to home and do the research on how some towns in South Florida, Key West and other States were developed. Many Bahamians migrated to these areas, squatted and were instrumental in developing these township. Some, like OverTown and Carol City became o successful, the then white, racist government decided to run highways through the middle of these cities virtually destroying them, devaluing the property and turning them into ghettos, that still exist today. Fortunately places like Coconut Grove, which has a rich Bahamian heritage, survived and is still home to generations of Bahamians and Bahamian festival like goombay.
TruePeople 9 years ago
Yes Bey John, Talk sense to dem! After all, the Colonial European Powers were actually in effect squatters too. Didn't they come from some place else to someone else space and set up??? If fact they bad up the locals, and then tell the locals dem that they were undesirables.
Now bunch a people like they want to run to whitehall system and act like yesman to whateva they say. The 'Legal' system yall wan suckle at was established through illegality.
All y'all talking on illgalls and dis ting an dat ting, none a yall like yall christian cus none a yall could be yuh brothers keeper. Str8
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