Three families left to be relocated from Duncan Street HDC complex

THREE families are still to be relocated from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) apartment complex at Duncan Street and Independence Square, Port of Spain.

Last week the residents who remained days after a fiery protest against the evictions of illegal tenants were given a week to move into their new homes.

Newsday visited on Monday and met with the three families, who all said they were awaiting keys.

Two families said they were being relocated to Chaguanas, although they had not seen their new apartments yet. They said the HDC had promised them keys but to date they had not received them.

The third family, headed by Colleen Mendoza, said they were not told where they would be relocated. Mendoza said her daughter was given an apartment, but she was not.

She was busy packing when Newsday visited. She said she and some other family members will stay with her nephew at Nelson Street until she and her family, which includes her brother and sister and her sister’s children and grandchildren, are relocated.

The vacated apartments were stripped of windows and doors, and some had electricityal connections removed.

The roof of one of the seven buildings was removed as demolition work began.

The relocation is part of the plan to "revitalise" East Port of Spain.

On March 4 residents of the area protested the eviction of illegal tenants from the housing development. The protesters claimed they were being kicked out without anywhere to go as they combined their claims with those of the legitimate tenants of 28 units.

After the illegal tenants were removed, the HDC took the windows and doors out of the apartments and cut the electricity.