Oropouche squatters:

DOLLY RAMSAMOOJ, 74, is in danger of losing the home she has occupied for most of her life. The elderly woman is among residents of Bamboo Trace, St John’s Road, South Oropouche whose homes are in danger of demolition.

Yesterday a crew swooped down in the area and destroyed two houses, leaving three persons homeless. The crew promised to return today to tear down the other homes, occupied by more than 30 people, including young children.

The residents say they were visited last week by persons who claimed to represent land owner Mertle Partap and were told they had to “get off the land.” “They said they were not told that their homes would be demolished.

Ramsamooj, who is partially-blind, told Sunday Newsday she has been a resident of Bamboo Trace for the past 57 years. She said it was unjust to force her to leave her home

“I don’t know what to do. I too old for this,” she said, on the verge of tears.” “All my children grow up right here and this is my home.”

Ramsamooj’s son, Mahase, 41, who lives with her, said the land owners have given him two weeks to relocate to a lot in a nearby mangroove.

“But how can we live in the mangrove?” he asked, adding that the land owner wants to reclaim the land to have it graded.

Sookie Konasingh, 63, and her son, Vicky, 19, have already been visited by the demolition crew.

Konasingh said she was cooking at about 7 am yesterday when she heard someone calling. “They say ma’am we come to break down the house,” she said.

They allowed her to turn off her stove and move out her personal items before they tore down the house

“I living here for 19 years,” she lamented.

Vicky, who recently built a small structure next to his parent’s home, said with his parent’s home is destroyed, he has no where to go.

Cuddling her eight-day-old baby in her arms, Leena Gilbert, 22, said she was scared for her newborn being made homeless. Gilbert said she has been living in the house for the past 20 years with her elderly parents. Her husband also lives there.

“We are poor people. How will we live,” she asked.

Another resident, Ramesh Ramsamooj, a crab catcher, has a wife and six young children to care for.

“I don’t know what will happen to us. Where will we go? How will we live?” he asked.

With nowhere else to go, the squatters say they have no choice but to rebuild if their homes are destroyed.

Several attempts were made to contact Partap for comment yesterday but they were futile.