Almost 20 years ago, several families from the Tiger Bay Community were moved to the old Housing Compound in the Tucville community.

Some were promised and granted house-lots, while others have found themselves still living under less than comfortable situations in small wooden shacks in the compound with their plastic roofs.

Today, Minister responsible for Housing Valerie Yearwood and Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes, visited the compound to listen to the concern of the residents.

Minister Broomes said she was unaware of the compound until last Saturday when she came across it while riding through the community. The Housing Minister said she had never heard of it.

The residents explained that after they were moved from Tiger Bay under the previous government, they were given some building material to build something to live in, while being promised that they would be provided with house-lots.

Some were given house-lots in the Diamond community. Those who failed to pay for the house-lots within a period of time, saw those lots being repossessed, leaving them to continue living in the compound.

The compound is located close to the sewage system for the area. While the electricity supply to the area was regularized, the area was never regularized, so its as if the residents are squatting in a new area.

One of the men said he has a family that he works hard to cater for and he would be happy if he is given a plot of land to build his own house or be allowed to build a proper house in the compound, but only if it is regularised.

He said he has seen families grow and become larger in the compound and many of the persons would be happy to be given the opportunity to go out on their own to begin a new and better life.

His views were echoed by many of the others who spoke to the Ministers. With no running water to their individual housing units, they said they feel as if they have been forgotten.

Minister Yearwood told the residents that the Housing Department will look into their plight. She said she was completely unaware of the compound and the promises that had been made to the residents years ago.

Minister Broomes has committed to assist the residents in cleaning up the area and putting in some bathroom facilities for them.

The residents are now expected to meet and decide on a group leader, who will interface with the government officials to ensure their concerns are addressed and that they no longer feel forgotten.

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