Dear Editor,
FOR years I have lived in the Kingston area and my heart bleeds at what a major intersection has become.

Since the destruction of the building on the corner of Barrack and High Streets by fire, one would have thought that the owner or the Mayor and City Council would have cleared the site and have it not in the condition or manner it is in now.
Imagine this is the main route to the two principal hotels and conference centres, and visitors have to pass this disgraceful site with clothing washed and hanging on the fence and persons bathing in the yard almost naked in many instances.

This place as I understand it is owned by the family who lives next door. Apparently there is some dispute with regard to the transport and the matter is getting the attention of the court. However, while the legal ramifications are being worked out or decided by the courts, we should not have to endure the lawlessness that is taking place on the corner of High and Barrack Streets in Kingston.

No one there owns the property. So it’s obvious they are all squatters. They do not have any documents to show legal tenancy. Yet you see telephone wires being used to capture current from the GPL poles. This is not only an eyesore, but a dangerous situation. A fire can easily be started and create millions of dollars in losses to the surrounding community.
There are no sanitary facilities. How on earth do these people exist? The headquarters of the Anglican Church sits right opposite.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s head office is also located close by. The IDB’s local head offices are nearby. How can the City Council sit and allow this to continue in an area which can best be described as the most important area of Georgetown for business and visitor accommodation. Tourists can be seen walking past this corner all day long. Many major cities have ghettoes, but this is not any such one. It is a private property and the owner/s should take responsibility for the removal of the persons living there.

I am urging the city of Georgetown to intervene just as they are doing with the Astor Cinema building and remove those persons who are living at that location, and I’m sure illegally. The owners should be made to clear the sight of those squatters and at least keep the location clean and cleared of such despicable sights.

Just in case persons are wondering to what area or site I’m referring, I’m enclosing an aerial picture of the location, showing clothes hanging on the fence and other illegal installations.

DISGUSTED