A shanty town off Carmichael Road. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune staff
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
HAITIAN Embassy First Assistant Secretary Karl Henri Chatelier has been working with the Bahamas government, local clergy, and the Haitian community to help develop alternatives to residents being evicted from shanty towns, while bettering the conditions of those areas.
In an interview with ZNS Morning Edition, Mr Chatelier suggested the options of renovations that will bring shanty town residences up to building codes, leasing the land, and extending the eviction deadline.
“They are willing to rebuild the shanty towns with their own possibilities,” Mr Chatelier told ZNS.
“They will respect all the requirements, like the electricity, waters – everything and give another face to the shanty town. And allow the government Bahamian to have the happy ending and them too to live in a better place.”
Purchasing or leasing the land is another option he wants the government to consider offering residents.
“They want to purchase or, if the government to allow them to, lease them, if they can have, if I can say, the accord, something that can allow them to stay on the land, and something legally. And they can pay every month, and they will rebuild the shanty town.”
Ultimately, the Haitian government official said the August 10 eviction deadline is too soon, and that relocations will take more time.
“August 10, I don’t think the shanty (towns) will be ready. Because there’s a lot of families, they were quiet since June and the beginning of July, because they know the house was safe. But since last week, the storm was begging for them.”
However, Mr Chatelier admitted that the residents want to improve their standard of living.
“They know their situation isn’t good,” he said. “And they know their condition is unsanitary. They don’t want to stay in that condition.”
Yesterday, The Tribune canvassed a shanty town off Carmichael Road. When asked about the eviction deadline, many residents expressed similar views as that of Mr Chatelier.
A woman who gave her name as Rose, who lives with her mother, three children, and a disabled brother, said the deadline is too short.
“They came here and told us…after 28 days we have to move,” she said. “That is too short. A lot of people around here, they have like more than two or three kids, and some of them they don’t work and people don’t want people with children in (their) apartment.
“I feel as if 28 days is too short.”
When asked how long she would recommend the deadline be extended for, Rose suggested three months.
“I could understand if they gave the people them three months… Those who ain’t working, they could find (something) to do, save up money.
“Because when you look at renting an apartment, you have to pay first, last, and security. “And that’s like over $1,000, like $1,500 dollars. You should at least give the people an opportunity to try find that money, and in 28 days it’s too quick to find that money.”
Rose also expressed concerns about the levels of crime in the communities where the government is suggesting shanty town residents relocate.
“The areas that they sending us in is not good. Even though this a Haitian village, there’s not a lot of crime.
“And if you send us in these village where (there’s) a lot of crime, in the future they’ll blame the Haitian-Bahamian for the crime. I don’t think they should just send us to those areas.”
Referring to her disabled brother, Rose claimed no consideration has been made to persons living with disabilities.
“Well, with them telling us we have 28 days, no one came to visit us and find out if there’s any persons with any disabilities,” she said.
“So, I feel as if they don’t really care about us. They only care about us when election. Because when it’s time for election, you see all type of people.
“No one came to find out, well, ‘is there anyone disabled? Are there any elderlies?’ No one came at all.”
Rose also told The Tribune that news of the relocation has hampered her dreams of becoming a social worker.
“I was planning on going back to school in September, but I feel as if like if we have to move, and me not working, I feel as if it’ll be difficult for me to go back to school.
“Instead of…the government trying to help me, I feel as if they trying to break me down and bring me down.”
A man who wished to be identified as Junior said his parents have lived in the shanty town for over 15 years.
He added that work for his father, a carpenter by trade, has been slow, and that his family “wasn’t ready” for an eviction.
“The house done build,” he said. “They done spend all type money on that house.”
On July 12, an official from the government’s Shanty Town Action Task Force said more than 200 rental units have been identified and logged as alternative housing for evicted shanty town residents.
Colin Wright, chairman of the Alternative Housing Committee, a subcommittee within the task force, said his unit has identified and documented just over 200 vacancies around New Providence that range between $400 and $800 per month in rent.
Earlier this month, the government pushed its July 31 deadline for New Providence shanty town evictions to August 10.
The task force assessed 1,410 residents from the 428 households, and revealed most are long-term residents aged 40 or older with an average of three persons per household and total weekly incomes of less than $400.
The task force has also revealed that, of the 14 properties which provided legitimate construction permits to authorities in recent weeks, none was ever granted an occupancy certificate.
As a result, task force officials yesterday said that no home identified in any of the communities meets the criteria to remain.
Comments
joeblow 5 years, 8 months ago
“The areas that they sending us in is not good. Even though this a Haitian village, there’s not a lot of crime.
“And if you send us in these village where (there’s) a lot of crime, in the future they’ll blame the Haitian-Bahamian for the crime. I don’t think they should just send us to those areas.”
Because experience has shown that the presence of large amounts of Haitians in an area uplifts the area, elevates hygienic standards, and improves the overall quality of life for all affected, right?
bogart 5 years, 8 months ago
DIS BAHAMIAN LAND IS WE SOVEREIGN LAND, ERRY ROCK, SHOAL CAY WATER..SWAMP......WE SOVEREIGN TERRITORY....WE.. BIRTRIGHT....OUR FOREFATHERS ...MARCHED...PROTESTED...DIED...MARCHIN...FOR WE CIVIL RIGHTS TO BE ...BAHAMAS.LAND....AINT NOBODY ...HAV NO RIGHTS TO ILLEGALLY ....SQUAT...OCCUPY...BAHAMIAN SOVEREIGN TERRITORY....AN EXPECT IT TO BE RIGHT......WHERE WAS DIS FERREIGN AMBASSADOR ALL DESE TIMES WHEN....HE PEOPLE BEEN INVADING WE BAHAMIIAN WATERS...NOW HE SHOW UP WANT TO TALK BAHAMIAN LAND......!!!!!!!
hrysippus 5 years, 8 months ago
Hey Braggart, ".MARCHED...PROTESTED...DIED...MARCHIN...FOR WE CIVIL RIGHTS" Who died? When? Oh you just spreading lies again, you must be one the D- plp supporters, eh?
ohdrap4 5 years, 8 months ago
ronnie butler died after he marched
bogart 5 years, 8 months ago
All dis while Bahamas struggling to stop illegal smuggling of his people...now dey wants...to make illegal legal....??? NO FERREIGN COUNTRY OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES HAS NO RIGHTS TO BE ADVOCATING.?PROMOTING...SUGGESTING...ADVISING.?ANY ILLEGAL ACT....WHILE DEY IS GUESTS OF ANOTHER NATION.....BUILDING ILLEGALLY AN BREAKING LAWS IN SOVEROGN BAHAMAS TERRITORY...IS ILLEGAL....NO MATTER WHICH WAY YINNA LOOKS AT IT....,!!....THE BLATANT AUDACITY OF IT ....LIKES DEY WANTS TO MAKE ILLEGAL COLONY WID INDEPEMDENCE IN BAHAMAS.....,!!!
geostorm 5 years, 8 months ago
These people have got to be crazy! I say kick them all out including the Embassy personnel.
nass214 5 years, 8 months ago
Please forgive me BUT these people are not legal, that gives them not rights, no power to make deals with the government, to request more time, cause they broke the laws of the Bahamas. I know you will say that some were born here, but face the facts, had their parents entered the bahamas correctly, they would have rights. Question for you: If I broke into your home, what would that make me? Some would say dead, but you all would call me theif, and tell me i have now right to do so, so how is it different then when i come to your country?
TalRussell 5 years, 8 months ago
God Send Back We Comrade Queen To Sips Tea Her Majesty's patriotic Bahamalanders, The Queen. We Vow All We Colony Islands To The Queen!
...../////tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbzRuZmqVM
DDK 5 years, 8 months ago
Wishful brownies with your morning coffee, Comrade?
TalRussell 5 years, 8 months ago
..............//////https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbzR...">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbzR...
DDK 5 years, 8 months ago
Very uplifting and nostalgic, Comrade! Great shame the average Bahamian has become a slave to his/her government.
TalRussell 5 years, 8 months ago
Ma Comrade DDK, rumour has it there is some kinds secret collaboration going on with Her Excellency Dame Marguerite to royally authorize sail boat being stocked out supplies set sail across pond....ready beg the Queen give colony islands a second chance.
DDK 5 years, 8 months ago
Brownies must be 100 octane!
Gotoutintime 5 years, 8 months ago
Fer Tru??
sealice 5 years, 8 months ago
has become or was from day 1?
DDK 5 years, 8 months ago
PastorTroy 5 years, 8 months ago
This Haitian Government 'Official' makes no sense! Do they realize the MILLIONS of dollars spent on illegal immigration by the Bahamian Taxpayers? Now they asking us to reward them for breaking into the country, stealing electricity, burdening our health care system while they burn down their own country? The intent of the local Haitian leaders and their Government are so obvious, anyone who can't see it must be blind. This is ridiculous! Any compromise on words spoken by our leadership about vacating shantytowns will not only be seen as weak but will open the floodgates of illegal immigrants ILLEGALLY coming to our shores by the boatload! They live among us, they have infiltrated our government and arm forces, the Haitians have a plan for The Bahamas that they are ACTIVELY working on daily, can't say the same for our Government leadership for the past 40+ years. Keep compromising, Judgement day is coming.
TalRussell 5 years, 8 months ago
Ma Comrade Preacherman's, the captain Haitian cruise sloop filled illegal tourists - didn't break-in - they cruised right by the RBDF Naval Base at Coral Harbour to safely land on nearby beach where the sloop's paying 100 passengers were safely unloaded only to this very day - their whereabouts remains a mystery. { No making this up }.
by TalRussell
DDK 5 years, 8 months ago
No more back-pedalling. They have already given the largest shanty towns in the Bahamas, in Abaco, A WHOLE YEAR'S GRACE PERIOD. Nobody seems to know why. They are still flying their black kites over the Mudd and the Peas. They fly these black kits to let newcomers know where their new condos are located. These places are dangerous and filth infested and need to go.
Bonefishpete 5 years, 8 months ago
If you let Haitians build shanty towns then you better let us americans build some shanty towns too. What's right is right. LOL
bogart 5 years, 8 months ago
@hrysippus ON YOUR QUESTIONS ABOVE TO ""BRAGGART spreading lies ..who died...when......D- plp supporter".....There are many historical articles, events that many Bahamians whether PLPs, FNMs, DNAs, BCCA?- Soup Campbell an Darling group.....most D grade people like myself BRAGGART spreading more lies ..as you know...in archives.papers..just google
SEE TRIBUNE ARTICLE ...tribune Group re-emact Burma Road walk to raise awareness. Tuesday, June 2, 2015 by Ricatdo Wells Tribine Staff Reporter. The date and names....Burma March....Pleasantville unfair labour practices to black workers. DATE, JUNE 1, 1942 Workers JAMES ROLLE, DAVID SMITH, ROY JOHNSON, DONALD JOHNSON were shot, 2died on site. In the struggles you may want to check out other names such as Claudius Walker, Sir Randolph Fawkes, Sir Clifford Darling...Taylor, Stevenson, Cartwright, Sir Etienne.....these are a few men of many...named and unnamed in Bahamian history both black an white ...in Bahamian history who dared to rise above for the betterment of all Bahamians.
John 5 years, 8 months ago
How many Haitians lose their lives trying to get to The Bahamas or the US every year? No one really knows because no one knows how many persons leave that country every year seeking a better life. But in Spain over 18,000 illegal immigrants have crossed into that country from Borth Africa thus far this year. And it is estimated that one of every six persons leaving Africa either drowns or go missing. Some are captured and sold into slavery. So if 18.000 made it safely, some four thousand are unaccounted for. How many Haitians go missing every year? Does anyone even care? Anyone?
bogart 5 years, 8 months ago
....anyone..??......its territorial imperatives....to take over colonise da Bahamas......the Haitian authorities are capabable of swiftly redicing the gasoline, diesel and kerosene prices within days to.? control.... the riots....and can easily take care or curb these illegal boats....when Paps Doc was ruling these illegal migrant boats hardly existed partly because he was a very proud man Nationalist who did not like to have his people running away ....Haiti can stop this but again ....the inflows of curremcy that is sent back goes to purchases from the wealthier merchants oprrating businesses and their cohorts...dis ting goes wid sense...its time Bahamians realize dis...an all da money taken out of the Bahamian economy from mulyiplying growing an instead been sent outside to grow other economy an increase more incursions....
DWW 5 years, 8 months ago
have anoother drink of the kool aid mate. you are forgetting the most important fact that if we bahamians didn't give them jobs and pay them they wouldn't be here and wouldn't have money to send back. you can't blame a man or woman to want to earn money. you can blame the man hiring them illegally though.
bogart 5 years, 8 months ago
Agree wid you DWW....we needs to toast...how come you can understands pore people drinks lemonade one packet plus sugar make whole jug and/or frozen cups.......whichin only deys can affords ... NOW.....it aints da Bahamian pore peoples who is the majority of nation....who scrappin who has disposable income if any at all who hirres dem......pore people dont hav lawn cause da broke down car needin transmission take up da yard space......plenty pore people live in den lots lil bigga dan 5£ pound lots......rather it is da minority of nation..wealthy.. rich who has money to hires dem.who has lawning to do...needs maids an gardeners, cooks, has business......Pore people always gets lumped together ....as WE....Bahamians....when it comes to wrongdoing....!!!!!.look at Foxhill where only pore people gets caught seems to be in jail.....call it fer what it is...its the wealthy, friends, cronies....we ...da pore always been gettin goosied ...now thank to Roc wid Doc who know bout pore people he trying to straiten tings out
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