Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday sent out a stern warning to individuals who invade Housing Development Corporation (HDC) homes, saying they will feel the “full brunt of the law” very soon. “There is no room in this Ministry of Housing and Land for lawlessness at any level,” he said in reference to recent activities in which gangsters have been taking over apartments of legitimate home owners, kicking them out in the process.
Moonilal made the comment while addressing a function in which certificates of comfort were distributed to 108 families at the City Hall Auditorium in San Fernando. After congratulating the families, Moonilal addressed the recent issue of thugs forcing HDC homeowners out of their properties in East Port-of-Spain. He said people who thought they had the right to invade homes and intimidate owners to move out because of gang-related fights had a “rude lesson” to learn within hours, and possibly days.
He said the ministry would not condone such activity and the government was committed to addressing the issue. The problem came to light when Port-of-Spain resident Nolan Sandy reported last Friday that he was forced to flee his Duncan Street, Port-of-Spain, home two weeks ago, after gang members in the community threatened him, saying he had to move out.
Last Saturday, Moonilal called an emergency meeting with Deputy Police Commissioner Mervyn Richardson, officials from the Housing Ministry and the HDC and law enforcement agencies, to develop a plan to address the forcible eviction of five families from apartment buildings in east Port-of-Spain. When asked for an update on the ministry’s way forward and what had come out of the Saturday meeting, Moonilal said a report was handed over to the police during the session, and the police were investigating.
“My information is that the police have undertaken their own inquiry, and they are prepared now to act on these matters,” he said. Moonilal said it was a national security matter and so he could not divulge any details on their plan of action. “...There’s a limit to what I would want to say, but the police has assured us that action is imminent on that.”
He said the police would legally take action to remove those in illegal occupation of HDC homes, while giving the opportunity for the rightful owners to return to their homes and apartments.