Squatters return to Clifton Towers

UPDATE:

FOR the eighth time in seven months, the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), Port of Spain CID, soldiers and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) staff went to Clifton Towers in East Port of Spain yesterday to remove illegal tenants.

However Newsday understands that less than two hours after the authorities left, the evicted squatters, many still clutching their belongings, made their way back into the buildings to resume their illegal occupation.

Shortly before 10 am, heavily armed officers and soldiers swept Tower Three, floor by floor, interviewing residents and removing those without supporting documentation. Two men were detained for illegally occupying apartments. Newsday spoke to one of the tenants, who said while police intervention is welcomed, more long-term solutions are necessary to keep squatters out. She said there is need for a permanent police post to deter people from entering illegally, and since the illegal tenants had moved in, life had become a social nightmare as many genuine residents feel like prisoners in their own homes.

“It’s getting out of hand now. Places along the ground floor which were supposed to be used as homework centres and stores are now being occupied by these people. We don’t even have a police youth club here because of them. It is really unbearable now,” said a resident.

Newsday also spoke to an HDC official who also happens to live in one of the towers and who said she is afraid to let her children play in the courtyard because of the illegal occupants. She claimed they were engaging in illegal transactions on the ground floor. She said efforts by the HDC and the police to remove the illegal tenants were woefully inadequate and once-a-month eviction exercises were not enough.

“It’s really up to the HDC to put their foot down and let these people know they are serious. As far as I can see, this whole thing (the exercise) was just for show. I’ve already seen some of the old faces creeping back into the building. Some of the squatters are very young and they have children of their own.

“A cycle is just being perpetuated in these towers right now and it’s keeping back progress.” One of the illegal tenants who was removed said he and his family were fleeing gang violence in Straker Village, Laventille, and feared that if he returned there, he would be killed. He said the squatters were simply occupying excess space.

“This area here has a reputation and nobody wants to live here. We are just taking the rooms that nobody wants and not bothering anyone. “A lot of the people who were kicked out today have nowhere else to go.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

For the eighth time in seven months, officers of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), Port of Spain CID, soldiers of the TT Regiment and officials from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) carried out an exercise at Clifton Towers, East Port of Spain to remove illegal tenants.

Newsday understands that less than two hours after the officers left the scene the people, many still clutching their belongings made their way back into the buildings.

According to reports, the exercise began shortly before 10 am, as heavily armed officers and soldiers made a floor by floor sweep of tower three, interviewing residents and removing those without supporting documentation.

Two men were detained during yesterday's exercise for illegally occupying apartments.

Newsday spoke to one of the tenants who said while police intervention was welcomed, more long-term solutions were necessary to keep squatters out of the complex. She said the compound needed a permanent police post to deter persons from entering illegally and said since the illegal tenants have moved in, life has become a social nightmare as many residents feel like prisoners trapped in their own homes.