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Abaco residents speak of fears after demolitions

Mon, May 31st 2021, 04:37 PM
Home Public Works/Infrastructure Tribune Stories

ABACO resident Gerald François said he was distraught when he heard his home in The Farm had been destroyed as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate shanty towns on the island.

#He said his feelings of helplessness quickly turned to anger when he learnt his 2012 Nissan Note had also been “crushed like a sardine can” during the demolition exercises.
#When the 42-year-old first spoke to The Tribune last month, he said he feared for his future in view of the looming eviction and inevitable demolition of his newly built, 24 by 16 home.
#Now living in a tent on the plot of land where his home once stood, Mr François said while he knew his home was one of the buildings that had been marked for destruction, he did not expect his car to be damaged during the planned demolition as well.
#He said he believed officials destroyed his car because he had been vocal about sharing the plight of shanty residents with local and international media.
#“My home and car were destroyed on Friday,” he said. “I had no idea because I was to work and when I got off around 4 ‘o’clock, at about 4.45pm when I entered the Farm Road, my friends was telling me I’m not going to like what I’m about to see. But before they could tell me, someone already call me to say ‘Bey they break down your car, they smash your car.”
#Mr François said after learning about the government’s plan to demolish his home, he started to “take the house apart” because his co-worker had given him a piece of property to build on in the “meantime” and he wanted to reuse the lumber he had used to construct his home.
#However, he said despite leaving a note on the door asking for a chance to dismantle the structure, when he returned home last Friday, he found his home broken down, and his car crushed with all of his clothes and documents inside.
#“I was very p----d off (and) ... I didn’t really take the time to look at my car,” he said. “I just turned back to catch the officer who was dealing with a traffic accident on the Farm Road. I rushed up in the front and asked him ‘How do I go about (addressing) this?’
#“The fact of the matter is they break and crush my car and it was not junk and they could have seen it was not junk because the car was locked. And I know officers looked in the car to see what was in it, because anywhere they break, they investigate and look around to see what was what.

He said his feelings of helplessness quickly turned to anger when he learnt his 2012 Nissan Note had also been “crushed like a sardine can” during the demolition exercises.

When the 42-year-old first spoke to The Tribune last month, he said he feared for his future in view of the looming eviction and inevitable demolition of his newly built, 24 by 16 home.

Now living in a tent on the plot of land where his home once stood, Mr François said while he knew his home was one of the buildings that had been marked for destruction, he did not expect his car to be damaged during the planned demolition as well.

He said he believed officials destroyed his car because he had been vocal about sharing the plight of shanty residents with local and international media.

“My home and car were destroyed on Friday,” he said. “I had no idea because I was to work and when I got off around 4 ‘o’clock, at about 4.45pm when I entered the Farm Road, my friends was telling me I’m not going to like what I’m about to see. But before they could tell me, someone already call me to say ‘Bey they break down your car, they smash your car.”

Mr François said after learning about the government’s plan to demolish his home, he started to “take the house apart” because his co-worker had given him a piece of property to build on in the “meantime” and he wanted to reuse the lumber he had used to construct his home.

However, he said despite leaving a note on the door asking for a chance to dismantle the structure, when he returned home last Friday, he found his home broken down, and his car crushed with all of his clothes and documents inside.

“I was very p----d off (and) ... I didn’t really take the time to look at my car,” he said. “I just turned back to catch the officer who was dealing with a traffic accident on the Farm Road. I rushed up in the front and asked him ‘How do I go about (addressing) this?’

“The fact of the matter is they break and crush my car and it was not junk and they could have seen it was not junk because the car was locked. And I know officers looked in the car to see what was in it, because anywhere they break, they investigate and look around to see what was what.

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