MINISTER of Works Clay Sweeting. Photo: OPM
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
SOME people with children in Abaco shanty towns were given extra time to find a place to live because they were not prepared to move when bulldozers showed up last week, Works Minister Clay Sweeting said yesterday.
“Some persons had children and didn’t believe that the task force was actually going to deal with the unregulated communities, so they didn’t move,” he said. “Not a large amount, but those persons were provided with some extra time to find a location.”
In February, officials issued over 400 shanty towns notices in three unregulated Abaco communities.
Mr Sweeting said there have been no incidents after demolition exercises began in Abaco last week.
Mr Sweeting said his ministry knows that residents in Gladstone Road have complained about a developing unregulated community in their area. Neighbours speculated the residents in the unregulated community were displaced after the previous shanty town demolition in the Kool Acres, All Saints Way and Area 52 communities.
However, Mr Sweeting said the community Gladstone Road residents are complaining about “started some time ago.”
He said the Unregulated Communities Action Task Force (UCATF) will visit Eleuthera later this month to assess communities there.
Last week, more than 60 structures were demolished at the Gaza shanty town in Abaco so far, with more expected to be destroyed.
Comments
Sickened 8 months, 3 weeks ago
First. Are you sure that the children were actually theirs and not just some prop to take advantage of the situation? Second - how much notice and chances should squatters get? Third - now every time a bulldozer goes into a shanty town the squatters are simply going to hold kids out the windows.
bahamianson 8 months, 3 weeks ago
True, the hammer needs to come down, now. The government has warned other shanty towns, but you know they will say no one warned them .
TalRussell 8 months, 2 weeks ago
How different the media coverage and hereto comments would've been in response to the minister's demonstration of tolerance --- Had the displaced residents childrens' --- Were with blonde hair. --- Yes?
stillwaters 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Oh Lordy.......I just told somebody last week that ' Clay don't play' ......but looks like you done get played my brother. I hope you only gave them an extra week.
ExposedU2C 8 months, 2 weeks ago
LOL. Yeah, given extra time to make more children.
birdiestrachan 8 months, 2 weeks ago
How much time did he give them it is expensive to move equipment about that may be the end of that and in a few months there will be more shanty houses but he has shown some heart ❤️ I hope they do not fool him
stillwaters 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Clay should be following the law, not his heart.
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