Weeping widow in $1.5M property battle

Sarah Ramdeen has described herself as the “weeping widow” who fears she may be left penniless and out on the streets by Christmas.

Ramdeen, 26, received a pre-action protocol letter last week Friday which threatened to take her to the High Court if she refuses to leave the house located at Shelly Street, Reform Development, near Gasparillo in the next three-anda- half weeks. Ramdeen has been reminded in the letter that she is the widow of Mark Thackoor, 26, who on September 26, died at the Petrotrin Medical Centre due to acute coronary artery thrombosis and severe artery disease.

In a pre-action protocol letter sent by the law firm Harrikissoon and Company, Ramdeen was further informed, by Prakash Thackoor, who is the father of the deceased, that he obtained lands from Caroni (1975) Limited as part of a Voluntary Separation of Employment Package (VSE P) and he decided to build a house on it. He further stated that Ramdeen was allowed to move into the house but only by virtue of her intended marriage to his son.

But since his son’s death in September, Thackoor stated, there has been occupation of the house by Ramdeen and her other relatives.

As a result, he has called upon Ramdeen to not go into the house and occupy it, and, that she should leave because she in unjustly enriching herself by trespassing. If not, legal proceedings would be instituted against her to recover possession of the house.

Contacted yesterday, Ramdeen said that as far as she is concerned, she is entitled to the house and she would be seeking legal advice. Attorney Stephen Boodram is advising her on whether she is entitled to property left by her deceased husband. Ramdeen said, “As far as I’m concerned, this is not unjust enrichment. I am entitled. It has not been easy staying in the house every night. But the law would take its course. My husband and I worked and built that house and we had a good relationship with the family until he died.”