Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Beating her chest as tears poured down her face, mother of seven Sabrina McLeod on Thursday begged the Housing Development Corporation not to evict her family.
In a voice cracking with desperation, she cried, “I have a newborn child. Where do you expect me to go?”
McLeod, her husband Raymond Mitchell and their seven children are one of 20 households facing eviction.
McLeod said she has been living at the house at Hellshire Avenue, Tarodale, for the past 15 years and knew their account was in arrears.
“We went to HDC on many occasions and they say they are not ready for we to pay. It was $65,000 we owed the last time we checked but now they waited until we so much to now to give us an eviction letter,” she cried.
Mitchell’s husband Raymond confessed that he had made only four payments to HDC since he moved into the house 15 years ago.
With the HDC and police advancing to seize their property, Mitchell said his employer quickly made $25,000 available for him to make an HDC payment.
“I have the money here right now,” Mitchell said.
He asked the HDC to give them a chance, noting that if they are allowed to live there he will ensure a payment of $1,000 fortnightly is paid.
As neighbours gathered around to show solidarity with the family, the HDC and police retreated and left the area.
A short while before, Guardian Media saw the HDC crew using a crowbar to enter into the home of another resident. All of the furniture and appliances were left outside the house.
Contacted for comment on the issue, San Fernando East MP Brian Manning said he did not know beforehand that his constituents were being evicted.
“I will investigate the matter, the HDC is clearly not compelled to inform the MP so I was not informed or forewarned about the evictions. I have asked for more information about what documentation is in hand, or was exchanged on this issue,” he explained.
Manning assured that the matter would be addressed.
“It will be thoroughly investigated to see what contractual obligations may have been arranged with the HDC,” he said.
Also contacted, Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis told Guardian Media the eviction drive had been halted.
In a subsequent statement, the HDC said it was on a debt-collection drive to recover monies owed. The HDC said a total of $747,874.48 was owed from residents at the Tarodale Housing Development. It said the police accompanied the HDC team on the eviction exercise to prevent any untoward incidents.
“The residents were evicted for a breach in their rental agreements for non-payment since 2008. Residents were evicted due to non-payment of rent since obtaining the property, illegal occupancy due to the death of the original tenant, alternative living arrangements and relinquishing possession of the properties to relatives,” the HDC said.
The corporation also said tenants were pre-warned on two prior occasions before a final warning was issued yesterday.
The HDC also reminded citizens that all HDC property agreements explicitly state that a tenant cannot abandon the property or assign, sublet or otherwise part with possession of the property without the written consent of the HDC. If a tenant breaches these terms, they will be evicted.