The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

GERALD Francois, a resident of an Abaco shanty town, says if the demolition process starts soon in the community he and many other residents will be left with no place to go.

The demolition of shanty town properties and evictions of residents can now resume after a Supreme Court justice lifted a previous injunction when residents failed to prove such actions would be unlawful.

“The first thing I said is I hope they (the government) have somewhere for us to rent. I 100 percent agree that the shanty town needs to be broken down because it’s nowhere for humans to live to be honest with you. But at the same time the government did not provide no apartments or homes to buy or to rent in North Abaco,” Mr Francois said yesterday.

Mr Francois explained that he is originally from New Providence, but moved to Abaco in search of work.

He said he eventually moved into the shanty town community after Hurricane Dorian, adding that there has been discrimination when trying to find rental properties in the past.

“They (landlords) telling you up front from you are a Haitian, they aren’t renting you an apartment. They are prejudiced whether you born in a country or not. Once your parents are Haitian, they consider you a Haitian. So, they don’t rent their apartment to any people.”

Abaco has been facing a housing shortage since September 2019 when Hurricane Dorian laid waste to hundreds of homes and major infrastructure there.

However, Mr Francois stressed many shanty town residents, especially children, are now on the brink of being left homeless if the government does demolish the illegal communities.

He added that the shanty towns also have some Bahamians living there.

Nixon Joseph, a resident of Abaco and former shanty town resident, also said there needs to be more rental properties and homes on the island.

Mr Joseph said: “Even if they locate properties that the people pay for. And if you don’t want to pay for it, you just have to leave. But if you can afford it and you have means of doing it, please do it.”

Mr Joseph said many shanty town residents are not there by choice, but are rather just trying to survive.

“So much frustrates me about the government in Haiti. Because I’m quite sure if Haiti was a safe place many of them would not have immigration running behind them. Many of them are here not by choice, but have no other choice because imagine living in a country with no security,” he said.

Another resident, Crystal Williams, expressed her frustrations about the irregular migrants on the island.

She said: “Abaco has too many migrants here, it’s affecting the lives of the average Bahamian. We are challenged with overcrowded schools which result in children failing or not graduating school with honours. Our healthcare system is overburdened and cannot meet the demands for the taxpayers who need it. The demolishing of the shanty towns is just the start.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the recent shanty town court outcome allows officials to employ the process to correct those issues within those communities.

Last week, Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ruled on the “matter of national importance” at the conclusion of a legal battle filed in 2018, with 177 shanty town residents represented by Fred Smith, KC, in a bid to stop government intervention and demolition.

Asked what the implications mean moving forward for the government, Mr Davis explained: “What it means is it now allows us to employ the process to correct those issues within the shanty town. There’s a process for removal of any erection of buildings we intend to engage in those and then deal with those issues that impact us in respect to that issue.”