The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net 

MONTHS after issuing eviction letters to residents in newly built illegal structures on Abaco, Central and South Abaco MP James Albury said the government is now working “to renew” some of those notices to ensure they are compliant with the law.

His comments came after Works Minister Desmond Bannister confirmed last week that eviction letters had been posted on some 50 newly built structures on the island since June.

However, yesterday, Mr Albury told The Tribune that some of the notices issued are currently in the process of being renewed.

“My most up to date information is that they’re having to renew some of the notices for them to be compliant and I know they are working with the Attorney General’s Office to make sure that everything is done correctly so as of right now, all I can really say is that they’re working on those and basically getting proper eviction in place to be served,” he told The Tribune

Before Hurricane Dorian decimated them last year, shanty towns across Abaco had more than 1,000 homes and an estimated population size of 3,500, according to government reports.

Now, one of the few shanty towns left in Abaco post Dorian is the Farm, located in Treasure Cay. The community was estimated to house nearly 1,000 people before the Category Five storm hit the island in early September.

It is estimated that some 400 illegal structures have been constructed in the Farm shanty town since Dorian last year.

In a bid to rectify the issue, Mr Bannister told reporters last Tuesday that officials began posting the notices on the shanty town structures in Abaco in June.

“The Ministry of Works has posted eviction notices on a whole variety of these illegal structures, on the mainland of Abaco and on Elbow Cay. Many of them have been posted since June,” he said.

“We’ve documented every one with photographs and the dates when they were posted and so there is a government inter-ministry agency that is looking at taking the next steps, but our job with respect to posting them has started in June and we are relentless in ensuring that we do what the Bahamian people ask us to do.”

Since the recent eviction announcements, many shanty town residents have been left fearful and panicked as to where they and their families will move.

Asked yesterday if the government has alternative housing plans for those residents, Mr Albury replied: “I think that’s the million-dollar question, but the reality is we can’t allow these structures to be built or continue to be built. But as far as alternative housing arrangements, that’s out of preview.”

“But the fact of the matter is we’re trying to nip it in the bud before we have several more full-blown shantytowns because it’s already becoming a problem.”

Attempts to reach both Mr Bannister and Attorney General Carl Bethel for an update on the matter were unsuccessful up to press time yesterday.