People watch on as the bulldozers move in to tear down buildings in The Farm shanty town in Abaco yesterday, in this image taken from video circulating on social media.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Works spearheaded the demolition of 45 “incomplete and unoccupied structures” in The Farm shanty town in Abaco yesterday, a move that human rights activists quickly condemned.
“The government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas remains firm in its resolve to ensure that the health hazards and hazardous conditions that unregulated communities foster are dealt with decisively and effectively,” the ministry said in a statement.
Human Rights Bahamas, whose legal director Fred Smith is contesting the government’s shanty town actions in court, said it was “unfortunate that the government would choose to create yet another humanitarian crisis on the island of Abaco”.
The organisation added: “Hundreds of people already lost homes in the tragedy of Hurricane Dorian, and even more in the illegal demolitions by the government that followed.
“On the front page of today’s newspapers, the managing director of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority is quoted as saying there is a severe housing shortage on Abaco. Yet the government – in the absence of any urgent need to take drastic action – is choosing to compound this crisis further, forcing more people into the streets, or the bush, or who knows where.
“Meanwhile, these homes are being destroyed at the very moment when the fate of this community is before the courts and awaiting the judge’s ruling.
“We are supposed to be a constitutional democracy that operates according to the rule of law. What is the point of having courts as a forum for settling disputes if the government is just willing to ignore the judicial process, proceed according to the formula that ‘might makes right’ and ruin people’s lives without lawful justification? Just because you have a bulldozer does’t mean you have to use it.”
Mr Bannister told a ZNS reporter that the structures destroyed yesterday were under construction and that officials ensured that buildings affected by a court order were not touched.
He warned that without government action, thousands of people would soon flock to the area, jeopardising the health of “every single person on this island.”
He said the way the structures were being built could cost people their lives and create serious health challenges.
He said the structures lacked a foundation to ensure stability.
“If we have another storm in Abaco, with tough winds, those structures would fly away like sailboats,” he said. “They are very, very dangerous structures. So the building control officer and his team from the Ministry of Public Works worked closely with the police, closely with other authorities on the island.
“It is critical that everybody understands that these unregulated buildings must go. Persons cannot live in this type of squalor, they cannot live in these dangerous conditions and they cannot be permitted to continue to create more dangerous conditions.”
Mr Bannister said he has been assured that people who have “regular standing in The Bahamas and who want to be able to live in reasonable conditions, can make appropriate representation and seek accommodations.”
The recent heightened activity in the Farm has begun to worry people like Dina Lafrance, a 37-year-old woman who has lived in the area for 12 years and who said she is puzzled by the government’s commitment to eradicating the shanty town given the difficulty many still experience following Hurricane Dorian.
“I’m not going to fight against it,” she said. “It was wrong, but are those people working? Where is the help? Where are the people going to stay? Do they have somewhere to go? We have children who are in school, they are getting affected by this as well. How are they going to concentrate when they don’t have a home to go to or when they know their home is going to be destroyed?
“A lot of people will be homeless. I work in Abaco now, just started working here, trying to catch myself, now they drop this bombshell on us. I don’t know what I am going to do. If push comes to shove, my kids would have to head to Nassau until I could do better while I continue to find answers.”
Earlier this month, law enforcement descended upon the shanty town in a joint sting operation, confiscating generators, food supplies, personal items, illegal contraband and arresting several residents for various alleged infractions.
At the time, officials said “illegally constructed” access roadways were closed and signs written in English and Creole were erected.
Signs were also posted on illegally erected buildings which warn inhabitants of the legal prohibition of any new construction, and of the intention of the government to demolish all of the illegally constructed buildings, the ministry said earlier this month.
Comments
Sickened 3 years ago
Finally something is being done to keep our residents safe and to make our communities more attractive.
Cobalt 3 years ago
We have the FNM to thank for that.
benniesun 3 years ago
"the formula that ‘might makes right’ and ruin people’s lives without lawful justification" is the modus operandi used by Abaco elites to destroy intelligent well meaning melanated Bahamians. The elites have used the melanated others who are now are a burden and inconvenience to them due to the economic blow by Dorian. Gaia has Abaco firmly in her hands and Abaco's tribulation and comeuppance are underway.
SP 3 years ago
Without any doubt, this is the best thing to have happened in our country for decades! If properly coupled with sound immigration policing, 1000's of residents will benefit in every aspect of life.
This should set a precedence for moving forward throughout the Bahamas. Illegals unsustainable population growth could easily be the downfall of us all.
trueBahamian 3 years ago
It is sad the situation that Haitians find themselves in. The need to go outside of their country to find a way to survive economically. It is terrible. It is a humanitarian crisis. However, the laws of each country are the laws of that country. You can not expect that the laws are overlooked simply because of your situation. Humanity, compassion, etc is needed when dealing with people particularly those finding themselves in bad circumstances. However, laws have to be followed.
Cobalt 3 years ago
The only people that can help Haiti is Haiti itself. Perhaps they should go back under the French. Just saying.
tribanon 3 years ago
I just love it each and every time Fred Smith says: “We are supposed to be a constitutional democracy that operates according to the rule of law." Meanwhile he persists in behaving as if the interests of those he purports to represent are above the law. Smith has made abusing the law a personal art form of his for the purpose of lining his pockets with handsome legal fees paid to him by so called international human rights organizations. And most of these foreign activist-type organizations are much more interested in putting tears in the eyes of their overly generous donors than helping those whose interests they purport to represent.
The bottom line is that the flow of illegal Haitian nationals into our country would be significantly slowed if word got back to Haiti that our government is not willing to turn a blind eye to their abuse of our laws. In the same way that Bahamians are not entitled to get a free pass to abuse our laws, even on humanitarian grounds, these Haitian lawbreakers must be held accountable for their wrongful conduct and illegal actions. And even if they have somehow managed to obtain work permits or other residency papers, they still have no right whatsoever to abuse or break our laws.
Our immigration department should immediately cease issuing work permits or other residency papers for Haitian nationals unless they can provide documentary evidence that they legally entered our country. A work permit should never be issued or renewed unless the sponsoring employer can demonstrate and undertakes to ensure that their foreign employee will have the financial means to reside in a legal dwelling for as long as the permit is valid. Both foreign national employees and their employers who are found to have abused or broken our laws should be held fully accountable for having done so.
As for Smith and his rich foreign clients, they would happily see The Bahamas become the next Haiti in the Caribbean region. For them it's all about the money they pocket for themselves. Smith and those he truly represents could not care any less about us Bahamians if they tried. And of course the more deeply rooted problem is the unwillingness of the current Minnis-led FNM administration to root out the obvious corruption that has existed at the highest levels within our immigration department for decades now. There's big money in human trafficking today!
UN 3 years ago
WE gatta hold them accountable (they keep breaking OUR laws)??? WE’re proudly getting away with EIGHT LONG YEARS+ of slander, inciting men (both your woman & kid put you last), defamation of character, invasion of privacy, fraud?, stalking, etc. Some (or all) are considered crimes in many CIVILIZED (we leave OUR females alone) nations.
AND we’ve also taunted/implied that we’ve happily committed various civil rights violations against ONE particular Haitian gal (she’s OUR entertainment, OUR toy)..
tribanon 3 years ago
No matter how aggrieved you may feel, even on humanitarian grounds, you still have the right to just go back to your home country. But remember, no matter how aggrieved you might feel, you have absolutely no right whatsoever to abuse or break our laws.
JokeyJack 3 years ago
"and ruin people’s lives without lawful justification? Just because you have a bulldozer does’t mean you have to use it.”
Just because you have a zozo doesn't mean you have to use it either. Listen how the lady bemoans having children in school - using that like a shield - the way ISIS uses civilians to protect military bases by putting hospitals and schools right next door and even in the same building.
It is clearly a population "majority rule" attack. Why would someone fleeing extreme injustice and poverty come here and born 7 children? Where do they suddenly get money to raise 7 children? People think Haitians send money back to Haiti? LOL. Thats just a cover, i believe, for the cash that arrives by sloop to support the children, future soldiers. The net money flow is in, not out. Do sloops clear Customs? LOL
John 3 years ago
MEANWHILE around the rest of the country, Bahamians face mass evictions as banks seek to move on persons with delinquent mortgages and landlords seek to put brakes on tenants who are very past due with rent payments. While this is mostly due to the corona pandemic and the emergency restrictions associated with it, banks and landlords are now seeking to limit their losses. It appears another 6-8 months will pass before the tourism sector sees significant rebound and many Bahamians are still not working.
bogart 3 years ago
Chillrens and adults spectators should not be allowed on demolition sites! Offically designated personnel must be wearing proper footwear clothing, masks, construction hats etc etc. especially in vicinity of falling debris, items snapping disintegrating, pieces of wood, metal, shards of broken glass etc. Getting demolition done and removal of debris, costs a lot of money to get accomplished and culprits must be found and charged.
Somewhere in these operations there must be persons or culprits responsible for illegal construction, and da bills for be given to them along with jail times. Taxpayers in the entire Bahamas should not be solely responsible to pay the bill, and culprits getting off of these illegally repeated illegally shantytown construction actions. Bill the culprits and throw them in jail where they are guarranteed a roof over their heads.
hrysippus 3 years ago
Reading the comments made reveals much about the commentator. Sixty years or so ago when the call went out for volunteers to sign up for military service to fight fascism there were several dozens brave Bahamians who answered the call; many others stayed right at home and made money for their families while other braver ones fought on their behalf. The commentators who attack Mr. Smith and his work of keeping the authorities within the framework of the rule of law are probably descended from one of those families who chose comfort and safety over risk and service. Those no risk families never taught their members how important it is to uphold human rights. The brave ones who went off to serve understood how important human rights are and have passed their understanding onto their descendants. The country is fortunate to have Mr. Smith safeguarding our collective interests.
DDK 3 years ago
Me. Smith is safeguarding his own interests on this matter as his actions and rhetoric are anti-Bahamian, something akin to treason....
bogart 3 years ago
Good for Mr. Smith to be the persistent lawyer of some 3,000 ? Bahamian lawyersto be the one to find anyting at all periods on the issues relatin to persons of Haitian backgrounds.
What he should have be BETTER done is to make efforts to educate the persons about the laws that repeatedly and repeatedly an repeatedly kept on being broken, the horrid travelling in horribly overladen sloops without safety equipment, the illegal human trafficking which never have a boat captain, the Bahamas salaried authorities bizarely unable to find the employers of illegal status ones but manages to locate hundreds annually and repatriate them to Haiti , years dat the authorities put small notices in papers for public to comment on person without the photo which since changed, the authorities repeating annually work permits for majority of some 20,000 ? particular category maid, gardenor, housekeeper etc at minimum wage levels whichin Bahamians done know its not living level AND seems to do so until these they have grandchildren and the list goes on..... The BETTER solution, if he can solicit donations per every word spoken it would by now be enough to purchase an entire hotel to accomodate all aggrieved ones with legal status better structually safer humane accomodations. The nation should done learn of hurricane damages to illegal poor constructed structures.
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