Couple almost ‘evicted’ from Savannah

Erica Joseph, 57, and her 64-year-old husband Wendell Joseph who have been living in a tent in the Queen’s Park Savannah for the past month, were almost removed yesterday morning.

However, the people hired to carry out the “eviction” were asked by several people there to delay their action.

A weeping Erica, whose legs have been amputated, could only watch and pray as people tending to the Savannah ripped down placards put up in protest, and took a sheet of tarpaulin, clothes, medicine and food away from the site. Wendell, was away from the tent because he was seeking advice from a doctor about further surgeries which Erica may have to undergo. She told Newsday she and a visitor had just finished praying when a worker at the Savannah told them that management was awaiting the presence of the police to come and rip their tent down. Within moments, some men appeared and began destroying the couple’s makeshift home.

It took the intervention of people like Harvey Borris and Boxu Potts to stay the hand of the would-be evictors.

Erica told Newsday, after it was discovered that she and her husband were back at the Savannah, employees of the Housing Development Corporation visited and told her they are working on getting them proper lodging within the next few days.