A crew from the Ministry of Housing and Water yesterday began demolishing unoccupied houses at Parika Sea dam.

The remaining residents are to be relocated.

According to a resident who spoke with this newspaper, a team from the ministry visited on Sunday, spoke with them and recorded their details.

Stabroek News yesterday contacted the Parika Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman, Jaideo

Sookhoo, who stated that he was unaware of the exercise. Regional Democratic Council (RDC) #3 Chairman, Inshan Ayube, also stated yesterday that he was unaware of the exercise. Efforts made to contact the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, proved futile.

Minster of Housing and Water, Collin Croal had told this newspaper a few months ago that a team would visit to advise squatters there on how they can find suitable housing.

The minister’s statement followed a report in the Sunday Stabroek of December 25th on the circumstances of squatters on the sea dam. Some said that their families had been there for 40 years.

Croal had also pointed out that the area being occupied by the squatters is sea defence reserve. He asserted that the sea defence must be maintained. “It’s about doing the right thing, they can apply for house lots. There is a regional office in Region Three [where] they can visit the office. We cannot regularise the sea defence.”

Other squatters have however been regularized and those on the Parika sea dam had questioned why they were being ignored.