The Ministry of Housing, Lands & Community Development and the Housing Authority of Grenada are both committed to finding solutions to inadequate housing that has been plaguing citizens of the nation for many years. We understand the plight of many of our people but we also have to ensure that the laws relating to illegal squatting are upheld. It is meeting both those objectives that is at the core of our attempts to facilitate Ms. Debra Phillip.
On Monday, January 11, 2010, the Housing Authority of Grenada effected the demolition of the home of Ms. Phillip, who was deemed to be an illegal occupant of land in the community of Hope, St. Andrew. This was after several warnings and notices to vacate the land were served on Ms. Phillip by the Authority. This situation generated much outcry and created some anxiety in many quarters.
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing was called upon by residents and concerned citizens to make a site visit. After assessing the situation and the social circumstances of Ms. Phillip, a decision was made on compassionate grounds to allow Ms. Phillip and her six children to remain on the site temporarily, while alternative arrangements were made for relocation.
Both the Housing Authority and the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Community Development are committed to reducing and ultimately eradicating indiscriminate squatting and the illegal occupation of lands, and will never condone squatting.
However, the ownership status of residents in that particular area of Hope is unique. An anomaly was created when the then owners of the Hope Estate offered the former employees of the Estate, lands as compensation for their estate labour. The then owners vested the same lands in the Crown, in lieu of taxes owed to the Government. Consequently, the ambiguity of land tenure remains. The Housing Authority pledges to move steadfastly to regularize the status of those persons currently occupying the lands.
As it relates to the situation surrounding Debra Phillip, a meeting was called by the Minister for Housing with the Board of the Housing Authority on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, to discuss the way forward for Ms. Phillip.
The following is the course of action agreed upon by the Ministry and the Authority to address the specific situation.
An alternative plot of land will be surveyed by the Housing Authority and made available to Ms. Debra Phillip to erect her house
The Terms and Conditions for obtaining the land will be communicated to Ms. Phillip by the Housing Authority of Grenada within ten days
The Ministry of Housing will provide material to assist in the relocation of the house
The Housing Authority of Grenada and the Ministry of Lands have the mammoth task of managing crown lands entrusted to them and may have to take measures to deter unauthorized occupation. At the same time, the Government of Grenada has to cater to the needs of those less fortunate in our society.
This decision to resolve Ms. Phillip’s dilemma in this manner should therefore be viewed in context and should in no way be interpreted as condoning illegal occupation or squatting.
Both the Ministry and the Housing Authority wish to remind persons who currently occupy Crown Lands or lands vested in the Authority, that every effort will be made to ease the burdens of inadequate housing. We, however, appeal to citizens to be reasonable and to operate within the confines of the law.
The cooperation of all concerned will be appreciated.