The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AS the demolition crews moved into Kool Acres shanty town yesterday, resident Souvenance Similien watched, hoping to reclaim the abandoned car he calls home.

The unemployed 30-year-old told the media that the vehicle in which he lived was amid the debris of the site – which was hit by a fire on Saturday ahead of the demolition beginning yesterday.

For the Ministry of Works crews, it was one shanty town down, one more to go, as demolition of Kool Acres began yesterday and the All Saints Way community was eyed next.

At 7am yesterday, demolition began despite the blaze that tore through the shantytown on Saturday, destroying more than 70 homes. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

The unregulated community was marked vacant as of Saturday, with almost no residents visible yesterday.

At the site yesterday, members of both the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Royal Bahamas Police Force were present, including K9 units.

More than five dump trucks and a tractor destroyed what was left of the shantytown.

As he watched, Mr Similien said he was hoping the government would give residents until January.

 He said: “I swear to God, sir, I hate to say it but I am 30 years old, all my life here. I was born in the back here.”

He was hopeful he would be able to reclaim his vehicle so that he would have a place to sleep.

Authorities posted eviction notices in the Kool Acres and All Saints Way communities on October 2, giving residents 28 days notice. It is unknown how many people were affected as a result of yesterday’s demolition exercise.

 Demolition in the All Saints Way shanty town has yet to begin, with officials conducting assessments and hoping to begin by next week.

 “This is an ongoing operation by all agencies to clear down and get rid of all unregulated communities in The Bahamas. This morning we started with Kool Acres with approximately 120 structures in this area,” said Superintendent Stephen Carey yesterday.

 “A fire on Saturday burned down about 80 per cent of the area, so we are left with debris and 20 per cent to clear down. As we move through The Bahamas, we urge all persons in these areas to please seek regulated communities because we will be in the other areas doing the same as we are doing here, we urge you to take notice now.”

 Mr Carey confirmed there are 23 unregulated communities in The Bahamas, 13 of them in New Providence.

 In addition to All Saints Way and Kool Acres, shanty towns in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, and elsewhere in New Providence are expected to become targets for the government.

 Kool Acres is expected to be cleared by the end of the week.

 “With regards to the demolition, we scheduled between two to five days depending on what’s going on. Right now, because of the weather, it’s actually going to be a little bit of a shorter process,” said Bahiyyah Hepburn, assistant civil engineer at the Ministry of Works.

 She noted that debris will be transferred to the New Providence Ecology Park.