RESIDENTS of East La Penitence Housing Compound, who have been living in less than habitable conditions for over 20 years, were overjoyed by a visit from the Minister with responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, who committed to helping the residents acquire better housing.

Accompanying the Minister were Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul, and Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles. Several of the residents received hampers from the Ministry of Communities.
The visit was orchestrated by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, who was also present at Friday’s gathering, as the residents told the ministers of their plight.

The compound houses approximately 70 persons across approximately 15 households, with at least two households having as many as 15 persons in the unit. Most of the residents living in the compound are from households relocated from Tiger Bay over 20 years ago.
The residents spoke of feeling abandoned and forgotten by the previous PPP administration, which had told them that they were only being relocated for a temporary three months period when they were first moved to the compound.

“I was living in Tiger Bay, our house was falling and [former president Bharrat] Jagdeo come there and said that they have a place that they will take us, so they bring we here and they told we they gon’ bring we here three months temporary. And they help we with some materials, while we buy some and we build up and we stay here. Some people that came with us already build and gone, but some of we ain’t get we land as yet,” explained 42-year-old Natasha Alexander.

Alexander lives in the compound with her 70-year-old mother, Audrey Grannum and other family members.
Some 153 lots were allocated to Tiger Bay residents at the time when they were requested to move, according to reports. This included 68 lots in Grove/Diamond, 40 lots in Tuschen, 30 lots in Belfield and 12 lots in Haslington.

The lots were mainly allocated to senior members of those households at the time, and according to reports from those at the compound, persons allocated lots were given 20 years to pay for the lots, however, for some persons, the land was later seized and repossessed before the time period expired.

In other cases, while persons allocated lots built and moved on, their children and grandchildren were left at the compound, since many of the units contain multiple households.

The residents’ complaints included the lack of sufficient toilet facilities, and the dilapidated state of many of the houses, including a lack of proper roofing, leaving them exposed to the elements.

The residents noted that they were not inclined to expanding and developing the housing units given that they owned neither the land nor the house. The residents noted that they had applied for land; however they continually encountered stumbling blocks.
“We don’t want to do certain things and then we don’t have the ok and then soon we have to move again, so what we’re asking is if you could please help us, see what best you could do for us. If everybody can’t get to live here, let some people get land and who could stay, they stay,” pleaded 34-year-old Joel Lloyd.

Among the suggestions put forward were that a few of the households be relocated to lands where they can build, while some residents be allowed to remain at the same location and be given ownership of the land, with the area being upgraded to proper living conditions.

The minister informed the residents, however, that while having the area regularised is an option, it is not a guarantee, as such a decision would have to be determined pending a proper assessment of the area and to ensure that it does not conflict with environmental and other regulations.

“Some of you would like your own land to build and some of you are saying you don’t mind remaining here. You want the place to be developed and give you ownership. I can’t say right now if we can regularise you [because] there are a number of things that have to be taken into consideration and more so, you’re next to the sewage. If we are going to regularise you, we have to take health and environmental situations into consideration,” she explained to the residents.

On the way forward, it was agreed that the community would elect a group of five persons who would meet with CH&PA to address the various issues. Minister Patterson told residents that lands were available on the East Coast for those willing to relocate and they noted that they are willing to accept if offered lands in that area.

Thirty-two-year-old Euclid Hackett showered continuous praise on Minister Broomes for looking into his plight and that of his fellow neighbours, and getting the CH&PA to look into their issues.

“I just want to say thanks to Minister Broomes for looking in on us because for 20 something years we’ve never had nobody looking out for us,” Hackett noted.