The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

ACTING press secretary Keishla Adderley said yesterday the Davis administration is committed to seeing that all involved in the leasing of Crown Land to shanty town dwellers, are prosecuted and punished accordingly.

This comes as concerns mount about Bahamians leasing their properties out to shanty town dwellers, allowing for the expansion of the illegal, shanty town communities.

This follows the recent demolition of the evacuated Kool Acres and All Saints Way shanty towns on Monday, as well as the fire at the Kool Acres community, the Saturday prior, leaving more than 70 structures destroyed.

“The Ministry of Works is in the process, and has been for some time now, compiling a list of land lease holders, with a view to checking on whether these persons may be in breach,” Ms Adderley said yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister.

“Oftentimes land is leased for agricultural purposes and other purposes and the administration wants to ensure that if in fact it was leased for that purpose, it is used for that purpose,” she said.

“Using Crown Land or agricultural land for purposes other than what they are intended to be used for or certainly allowing shanty towns to be constructed on them constitutes a breach which subjects, all persons who are involved in such activities, to prosecution.

“That is something the administration wants that everyone involved in these practices is aware of, they are subject to prosecution. They could also be subject to the lease being terminated, because it’s outside the terms of the lease. So, the irregular communities commission continues to do its work, that is something that it is certainly looking out for,” Ms Adderley said.