Valencia squatters to await court ruling before rebuilding

A squatting area, Pine Avenue has over 200 homes, some concrete and some wooden, where about 25 houses were bulldozed about two weeks ago.

Justice Frank Seepersad at an emergency sitting in the San Fernando High Court had granted two residents an interim conservatory order which prevented the destruction of their property or any other house in the area.

Annesa Maharaj and Ashminee Joseph had claimed they have been occupying the lands for more than 30 years.

Ramdeen said no further action would be taken until July so the State would be able to research the possession of the lands.

“We have not yet received any affidavits from the State about the matter, but they have six weeks so the time has not expired. I expect during that time to ascertain or discover who were in possession and for how long,” Ramdeen told the Newsday, yesterday.

He said while this was proceeding, the residents were bringing in their documents supporting their possession of the different parcels of the land that they have occupied and the the length of time they have been in occupation, saying that there would be individual claims against the State.

“The purpose of commencing a claim is for the purpose of the court to determine whether or not they are entitled to the land and therefore, in those circumstances, when you preserve the status quo, it means that each party would take a hands off approach with respect to the parcels of land that they have occupied “This is unfortunately the position that they are in. The court has not made an order for them to go back on to the land. The court has made an order to preserve the status quo,” Ramdeen said.

Charmain Harridan, who said she and her husband Timothy lost about $150,000, said they would await the judge’s ruling.