TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Demolition work has resumed this morning at the All Saints Way shanty town. Ministry of Works officials confirmed there was a fire after midnight and one structure was destroyed. There were no casualties. The structure was already partially broken down.

Video: Leandra Rolle

FROM EARLIER:

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ABOUT 30 structures were demolished in the All Saints Way shanty town yesterday after the Ministry of Works resumed activities in the unregulated community two months after beginning exercises there.

Demolition activities are expected to continue today.

Buildings Control Officer Craig Delancey told The Tribune last night that more than 50 structures are being targeted.

 Superintendent Stephen Carey of the Unregulated Communities Action Task Force said eviction notices were given to shanty town residents in early November. 

 “The residents here, they are silent,” he said. “From November 5, they were given orders to vacate the premises, so they know that this day was coming, so they’re here. Some of them are still moving.” 

 “Last night, when we did our checks, a lot of them were moving. There were about ten trucks moving out, so all we’re saying now is that to all persons living in shanty towns, please move and vacate because they are going to be demolished, and the police are going to be there to assist in any security breaches that needs to take place.”

 The Unregulated Communities Action Task Force began demolishing shanty town structures in the All Saints Way community in late November.

 The move followed similar activities in the Kool Acres shanty town. 

 Myles Laroda, State Minister for Social Services, revealed last year that 18 rooms at the Poinciana Arena on Bernard Road were leased to provide housing assistance to Bahamians displaced by shanty town demolitions. It is unclear how many of those rooms are occupied by shanty town residents.

 In an interview with ZNS, Works Minister Clay Sweeting said the Unregulated Communities Task Force would visit Abaco next week to assess shanty towns there.