The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WOULD like to share my experience with you and the public about a conversation I had with one of the top inspectors at Physical Planning.

I was complaining about a neighbour that I sold a piece of property to, about 12 years ago. We informed the inspector by phone that he was putting another build-ing on the property that is not part of his lot. Years ago, we spoke to a Mr Zonikle and informed him that the man dug up the surveyor stakes to make his property larger. We don’t know what action Physical Planning did, because we never heard back from them.

However, over the last few weeks, the gentleman in question is using the space to build walls and fences that can easily indicate the property is his. This morn-ing, again we called Physical Planning, as he is now also claiming my pump house and well that I gave him permission to use, after he had hooked up a pump and tank for his home. For some reason over the years he got the impression that producing a questionable document that looks nothing like all the documents the other properties have, that we sold. We couldn’t get Town Planning officers to come and investigate so we called the police on several occasions, who informed us he produced a paper that looked different from ours and suggested we take him to court. I can’t afford to take anyone to court as covid and other circumstances beyond my control, stripped us of our savings and earnings.

My only hope for help would have been through Physical Planning who I was told is their responsibility to handle these situations, please keep in mind I am 86 years of age, suffer from COPD the third largest killer in this part of the world, serious case of shortness of breath and need the help of a recovering cancer patient, my wife, who is also suffering from not being able to move around easily without assistance, therefore with having bad experience with Physical Planning, I reluctantly called them to assist me in solving this matter which I was told is in their power.

Not being able to reach Mr Zonikle who was busy, they put me on to the next person in charge. Not being able to talk, I translated to my wife and she spoke to him on the phone. She informed him of our situation, that the gentle-man was claiming our well, he told me put up a fence and asked why I sold him my well, I told I didn’t sell the well, he put up a fence around my building and now says it is his. The officer didn’t seem to understand that this person I sold land to, was over stepping the boundary. He was becoming belligerent and rude.

The officer was extremely rude and wanted me to apologise to him or he would hang up the phone. I told him it wasn’t his place to speak to me that way, he was supposed to help me. His whole point wasn’t that the property was mine, which I have the documents dated back to the 1800s. Instead he suggested I bring the documents of proof to him. I asked him what happened to him coming to me to view the situation and look at the forged document this person is showing everyone, that we certainly didn’t give him.

He warned me that if I didn’t stop arguing with him he would hang up on me. I told him it was his job to listen to me and that he was being extra rude, with no manners. In which case he hung up. It was a har-rowing experience and should not be coming from any government office. I am demanding that such a person be removed from a position where he doesn’t have to deal with the public.

IVOINE W INGRAHAM

Your conscience

Nassau, March 3, 2024.