Chairperson of the Tiger Bay Relocation Committee, Philomena Sahoye-Shury, and member of the Relocation Committee, Kelvin Andrews, met President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday as they sought to decide on the next move in fulfilling the plan of ensuring that residents relocate to healthier, safer environs. Efforts to have residents of West End, commonly referred to as Tiger Bay, relocated, particularly those living in derelict buildings, were ongoing since 2002 with an agreement for houses to be constructed through a self-help process.
In 2002, President Jagdeo pledged $15M towards building materials for 150 families. The money was delivered and construction started on more than 75 houses, through the self-help initiative.

Residents had pledged their full support to the self-help process following a meeting in 2004 with the then Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, Jennifer Webster, Ms. Philomena Sahoye-Shury, and Kelvin Andrews.
Originally, there were 153 lots given: 68 at Grove/Diamond, 40 in Tuschen, 30 in Belfield and 12 in Haslington.
In 2004, President Jagdeo extended the programme to include an additional 20 families and offered the support of the Ministry of Housing and Water.
The work of the Committee was challenged by the unwillingness of many residents to contribute their labour at the time.
After yesterday’s meeting with the President, Andrews told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that many of the residents who were given the chance to relocate have to date failed to comply and President Jagdeo suggested that they be given more time after the committee holds a meeting with them.