The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The letter below was emailed to the Ministry of Work on November 8th, 2021.

To date, I am yet to hear from the Ministry of Works. The conditions listed in this letter still persist to this day. Only the smell of human waste has been added. I lived under these circumstance through the pandemic and it will soon be possible to make my exit. My intent on going public with this letter is to prevent other Bahamians from walking into the same trap that I did. I also want the authorities to make sure the units are properly and appropriately separated so persons are not able to cross over from one unit to the next.

A tenant in the complex told me that the (Bahamian) tenant who was there (in my apartment) before me, virtually went out of his mind as a result of the constant harassment.

“John Doe” has been used instead of the original name.

Can you please address this letter to The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Immigration.

JOHN DOE (Tenant)

The following is the letter written to the Assistant Building Control Inspector to the Ministry of Works on October 27, 2021.

Asst Bldg. Control Inspector,

The Ministry of Works,

Nassau, Bahamas

October 27, 2021

Dear Ms Curry:

I have decided to put into writing the matter we discussed about a week ago. At the time of my complaint being lodged, you made mention that someone would be contacting me, and eventually sent to investigate the matter – and I do count myself both grateful and fortunate that you have committed to looking into this matter. I live in an apartment complex in Rock Crusher and the landlord is (name omitted).

It has been quite a while now since I first began complaining to the landlord about people being in the ceiling – especially at nights (though it happens in the day as well). It started with them just moving across, laying over my bed making irritating sounds and they would also move across to the bathroom area while I am in the shower. Sometimes, I can also hear pieces of plywood being moved around in the ceiling as well. This perpetual nuisance has been ongoing for months now, but what has made matters worse is that it appears these immigrants are now spraying an offensive liquid substance down into my bed at times, mostly at nights. I made it clear to (the landlord) in writing that the units have to be parted off. I told him that it is illegal to have tenants going up into manholes and invading other people’s space and privacy to become, as I said earlier, a perpetual nuisance. He says it is all in my head and that I am imagining the whole thing. I told him I heard the tenant who lived there before me also had similar problems, but he did not comment on the matter.

It seems as though (the landlord) has a “soft spot” for the immigrants – and is not interested in dealing justly. He took me into a unit where I complained of hearing manholes opening and closing regularly. He only did so because he felt assured that there was no manhole there! His electrician who had gone before us said: “Oh my God, we must close this thing up now!” But in the end, he still decided against it, before telling me: If I wish to move, I can do so!

As Bahamians, we all have rights. These rights were put in place to ensure that people are protected and also to ensure the smooth running of a decent and orderly society. It is with this in mind, that I appeal to the Ministry of Works to ensure that my landlord is not breaking the law and getting away with it. It is my wish that the inspector from The Ministry of Works would walk into each apartment in my unit to see for himself where the manholes are and to examine them to see where they all lead, and make recommendations that the necessary adjustments are made in a reasonable period of time.

Rest assured the Department of Immigration will be informed of this matter as well. Any assistance you can render in this regard would be greatly appreciated.

MR JOHN DOE

Tenant

Nassau,

March 1, 2022.