WallerField squatters take NHA to court

TWENTY-EIGHT squatters were yesterday granted leave to file for judicial review of the decision of the National Housing Authority (NHA) to demolish their houses at Wallerfield Gardens Develop-ment. However, Justice Gregory Smith, presiding in the San Fernando High Court, refused to grant an order to stop the NHA from demolishing their homes. With the judge refusing to grant the injunction, the NHA can still go ahead and demolish the other houses in the Wallerfield area.

The matter has been fixed for March 16. Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC, Prem Persad-Maharaj, and Garnet Mungalsingh represent the squatters. Around 2.30 pm on February 14, one police van and two Hilux vehicles with NHA personnel entered the lands at Wallerfield and demolished 17 houses. The residents protested the action of the NHA by blocking the road leading to the village. The residents contended that on February 15, Arima Member of Parliament and Minister of Public Utilities, Penelope Beckles, went to Wallerfield and spoke with them, asking that they do not protest and that she be given another 24 hours to reach an agreement. The residents said Beckles returned to the lands the following day and expressed her annoyance at their continued protests over plans by the NHA to demolish their homes. According to the residents, Beckles asked for a delegation to visit her constituency office the following day. On February 17, they went to Beckles’ office, but were told that she was unable to help them because “her hands were tied.”

On February 20, attorneys representing the residents wrote to the NHA, the Land Settlement Agency, the Commissioner of Police, and the Attorney General, calling upon the NHA not to demolish any structures or belongings of their properties. All 28 applicants said that on February 21 — Carnival Saturday — around 8.30 am, three Hilux vans containing NHA personnel and one police vehicle came onto the Wallerfield lands. They demolished 11 houses using sledge hammers. Before leaving the NHA personnel told the residents that they would be returning today to demolish the other houses.

However, around 8.45 am on February 26, several vehicles returned to Wallerfield and demolished 26 more houses. Each applicant listed the size of his/her house which had been occupied by spouses and a number of children. The residents said that in light of the refusal of the NHA to give an undertaking that it would not demolish their homes, they feel that the continued demolition of the houses will result in their families being homeless. “The damages we would suffer would be irreparable and would make our rights meaningless,” the residents stated in their affidavit. They decided to file for judicial review believing that the NHA crew would be returning today.