The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

URBAN Renewal officials insist they get permission from the owners before demolishing any dilapidated homes under the scheme.

Yesterday, a tractor tore down two buildings in the Fort Charlotte constituency – one on Tyler Street and the other on Quarry Mason Road. Since the May 7 election, Urban Renewal teams have overseen dozens of demolitions, which the police say stop criminals from using dilapidated structures to hide guns and drugs.

However last week, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham criticised the way the scheme is being undertaken, pointing out that in democracies, there is a procedure which must be followed before someone’s house is destroyed.

Yesterday, Inspector Dencle Mark said: “We take a methodical approach in the effort to find the owner of the premises or the person who may have the right to that property to make that decision.

“And in the cases that happened today, we’ve already gotten statements from those individuals giving us permission and direction to remove those buildings that have been or can contribute to crime in some way and once we’ve gotten permission we can continue with the process.

“Generally across the board, we have these instructions and we operate through them.”

Insp Mark said one of the homes torn down yesterday was used as a safe haven for criminals.

“The Urban Renewal Programme was designed to be a crime fighting tool that assists police in its combat against crime.

“During their investigation of a break-in some weeks ago, police were directed to the abandoned house which was one of the homes taken down this morning.

“There they found a number of stolen items. It’s a clear indication that criminals are using buildings such as these and derelict vehicles to stash stolen goods and other illegal items in them,” he said.

Sgt Darren Mortimor said the other house torn down yesterday was seen as a potential haven for criminals until it was found to be inhabited.

He said: “We saw it as a house of dilapidation for demolition. When we went in, we saw a father and son living in it. We immediately went to Social Services.

“Social Services put them in a hotel for seven nights until they got them an apartment on Baillou Hill Road and Newbold Street.

“The government is going to help them until they could get better. Social Services takes them for as long as possible.”

One of the residents of that home, Earl Sturrup Jr, was on the scene when the tractor arrived.

He said: “Just the other night I had to watch the place because some fellas run through the yard and they escape the police station. So that’s why I stayed to follow what happened. ‘Cause when they run through the yard they make it look like it’s a harbour for, you know, criminals, which would’ve been a bad face on me.”

Mr Sturrup said he is glad Urban Renewal intervened, but nevertheless he mourned the loss of his home for the last 17 years.

“It’s like your soul. I’m stunned. It’s like your soul,” he kept repeating.

Authorities say the owners of the property live in the United States and that when contacted, gave permission for the demolition.

Member of Parliament for Fort Charlotte Andre Rollins was also on the scene yesterday.

He said: “All of the homes that you would’ve seen torn down today, would’ve been torn down with the expressed consent of the owners, and we’re not tearing them down and not having the plan in place to address the condition of the person who previously occupied it.”