The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

MINISTRY of Works officials have issued over 400 eviction notices across three shanty towns in Abaco, setting the stage for one of the largest shanty town demolition exercises in the country’s history.

Buildings Control Officer Craig Delancy said since the notification exercise began two weeks ago, 28-day notices were posted throughout the unregulated communities of the Gully on SC Bootle Highway, Gaza, and The Farm near Treasure Cay.

He said there are other areas in Abaco officials will inspect.

The government’s push to demolish shanty towns in Abaco comes after structures in the Kool Acres and All Saints Way shanty towns of New Providence were destroyed.

 Some shanty town residents fear they will have nowhere to go when demolition exercises begin.

 Mr Delancy said he knows some residents have complained about being unable to find a place to move.

 “A lot of them were aware that this was going to take place, and some of them have made arrangements to evacuate or to go elsewhere,” he added.

 He urged people living in unregulated areas without approval to find alternative housing.

 Although successive administrations have pledged to eradicate shanty towns, their efforts were often stymied in court.

 Last year, in a long-awaited ruling, Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson concluded that the Minnis administration’s eradication policies were lawful.

 The Office of the Attorney General then asked Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder to order the demolition of nearly 300 structures that were built in contravention of Justice Grant Thompson’s previous order prohibiting the construction, erection, or alteration of buildings or structures in shanty towns throughout the country pending her ruling.

 Sir Ian only granted permission for two structures to be demolished. However, his ruling paved the way for the minister of works to initiate a demolition process under the Buildings Regulation Act. The Davis administration has since been demolishing structures without court challenges.