‘Kids never lived at the Ark’

He said the premises were being illegally occupied and illegally rented out.

“The place is derelict.....Barbara Burke was just obstructing the development of the health centre there,” Hinds said yesterday.

On Monday, a company called Property Management evicted Burke from the Morvant site where she housed 18 children. Police and soliders were sent in to remove the children and cart off beds, furniture and other household items from the building.

Although Burke confirmed the lease for the building expired last year, she said the property has been the subject of a high court matter and a hearing has been set for September 20.

But Hinds said the site was earmarked in 2001 for a health centre with money being allocated for its construction. However, there has been no progress because Burke still occupied the spot. Hinds said as far as he knew no children ever occupied the premises, even though Burke insists she operated a home there.

“Thank God it is now vacated and the development can take place,” Hinds said.

He added that a report has been prepared on the entire issue and is expected to be handed in to the Ministry of Social Services today.

According to Hinds, “If this was a genuine case of children actually living there, just like we helped the other families who were staying there at one time or the other, we would have helped this set.”

Yesterday, Burke said the children have been staying at her residence on Old St Joseph’s Road in Morvant. Burke, a Spiritual Baptist Archbishop, insists children had lived at the Ark of the Convenant.

“The children were living there, and it is only when we are evicted that they come to (my) house,” said Burke, adding that their belongings were also taken to her house.

“I took the beds, and even the fridge that was given to me by Courts.”

Burke has sought legal counsel from the San Fernando law firm Daltons.

She said she took in the children whose parents had either died, were in prison or could not be found.