Two years after Claxton Bay landslip, residents seek comfort from EMBD

CLAXTON Bay residents whose homes were damaged two years ago by a massive landslip are seeking comfort from the Estate Management Business Development Corporation (EMBD) that their concerns will be addressed.

Before dawn on September 15, 2021, resident Gile Garcia's three-bedroom concrete house and its contents sank and slid about 200 feet.

Garcia was alerted by cracking sounds and was able to wake his family. They fled the house, avoiding severe injuries or even death.

The rapid land movement later destroyed several other homes.

The affected area is outside the boundary of the Coco Road quarry, owned by the EMBD.

The residents blame extensive quarrying for the erosion.

Some of them met with officials of the EMBD at the company's office in Couva on Thursday.

Garcia said, "It's two years that's going and it's a lot of discomfort."

After two years, Garcia said the residents have not received word from EMBD on whether they will be relocated or compensated for the damages to their homes.

There has been communication between the residents and EMBD over the last two years.

Garcia said the residents had offers of six months rent from the company and offers for the resident to move because of work taking place at the quarry.

"We didn't see anything."

He described himself as displaced.

"Right now, you could walk across my roof because it is right down to the ground."

Garcia reiterated that the residents have not seen anyone doing anything to address their concerns.

"We haven't seen anything moving. The only thing we see moving is people's houses moving and the land moving."

Garcia said EMBD officials promised to arrange a meeting with the residents to address their concerns.

The residents have sought legal advice from attorney Prakash Ramadhar.

Garcia said the EMBD and Ramadhar hired different surveyors to assess the damage to residents' homes.

He said the initial discussions on the valuations done by surveyors appear to be encouraging.

But Garcia said that EMBD seems to want to pay residents agricultural fee rates for their lands.

He did not believe this to be acceptable as all of the residents have residential deeds for their respective properties.

Garcia said all of the residents, including himself, have lived in the area for over ten years.

While Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee has also been involved in highlighting the residents' concerns as their parliamentary representative, Garcia said the residents have tried not to politicise the matter.

"Who knows who is PNM and who is UNC here? Remember it's people."