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However, Regional Housing Officer, Mr. Gayduyal Ramnauth in defense of the demolition exercise said the woman had squatted on the lot which is owned by another person.
He said the woman built a 10′ by 10′ shack on the lot some years ago and lived there. According to the Housing Officer, the owner after discovering the illegal shack on his lot reported the matter to the housing office at Anna Regina and a notice was sent to the squatter.
Mr. Ramnauth said the woman ignored the notice and continued to live on the lot. He said a second notice was sent to her to remove after the owner started to fill up the lot with earth but she did not move.
According to the Housing Officer during a period of heavy rainfall the shack broke down and the woman then constructed a wooden building on the lot that was filled up with earth.
Mr. Ramnauth said he then sent another notice through the Charity NDC for her to remove from the lot and the notice was read to her at the NDC office and still she did not move.
The officer said the Ministry of Housing was then informed about the squatter’s refusal to remove from the house lot. Mr. Ramnauth said he went himself and spoke to the woman about her illegal occupation of the lot but she did not listen.
According to reports, while the demolition exercise was in progress a crowd gathered and expressed displeasure with the actions taken by the Ministry of Housing to break down the structure and leave the woman and her little children in the rain at the time.
The woman who was crying with a little child held in her arms and her other children around her watched helplessly as her only shelter was destroyed.
Scores of residents in the area said they were not pleased with this matter and are calling for a full investigation. (Rajendra Prabhulall)
