Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander yesterday urged shantytown landowners and leaseholders who want to clear buildings from their property to wait for the government before acting.

"We don't want them to break the law," said Fernander when asked about "prominent activists" going into the shantytowns and "causing issues".

"The information with the shantytown is being addressed by the government."

On Saturday, activist Lincoln Bain accompanied the purported leaseholder of a shantytown property off Bacardi Road as she attempted to tear down the homes in the village. Police intervened and no homes were destroyed.

"We don't want anybody to go into these shantytowns to breach the law ... because we will be there to ensure that it does not happen," said Fernander.

"Everybody is aware that the government is addressing the issue and let's support that and make the transition a smooth one."

On February 19, during a national address, Prime Minister Philip Davis warned shantytown residents that they need to find alternative housing.

The prime minister said this week, "demolition will come".

Just two days before announcing that shantytown residents need to find alternative housing, Davis said evicting them without a plan would cause a human crisis. While in opposition, he also urged a humane approach to shantytown evictions.

The issue of shantytowns rose to the forefront of national debate after Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ruled on February 10 that the government's shantytown eradication policy was legal.

An injunction she granted in 2018 prevented government from destroying shantytowns in the country until she had a time to consider the evidence in a case brought by a group of 177 shantytown residents.

"It's out there and the government continues to speak to this every day," Fernander insisted.

"Just stand by and you could see that there is some movements with the government in trying to rectify this situation."

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