Demolitions: There will be no untouchables-Benn

Oct 31, 2009 News

A demolished illegal structure on West Coast Demerara that was victim of the Works Ministry’s hammer

Amidst criticisms, Government yesterday vowed to continue its demolition of illegal structures and said that there are “no untouchables, no sacred cows”.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference at his Kingston office, Minister of Public Works and Communication, Robeson Benn, also believed that there is an orchestrated campaign to halt the campaign which has been ongoing for a few years now.
Yesterday, a hard-hitting letter in the Kaieteur News slammed the exercise claiming discrimination.
Benn again refuted accusations that the demolitions of illegal structures on Government reserves were discriminatory in any way and noted that while sometimes it may appear otherwise, there is a systematic manner in which the crews are working.
He accused some of the illegal squatters and businessmen of at times trying to intimidate workers and even bribe them to stop demolition.
In all the cases where illegal structures were taken down, notices would have been served.
According to the Minister, demolition workers are in possession of the list of illegal structures complete with photographs and dates that warnings would have been issued.
Since 2007, the government with the blessings of Cabinet, has been involved in the clearing of all reserves. The public has been made aware of the campaign via ads, press statements, news items and notices.
Been said that the Roads Act gives his Ministry the power to demolish any illegal structures sitting on government’s reserves. However, government has opted to issue warnings and on a number of occasions worked with illegal squatters and others to find a solution.

Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn

An example of this is the Lamaha Railway Embankment and Mandela Avenue where residents and roadside shops were given alternative places to relocate.
However, there were several cases of persons returning to the area and resuming their business as normal after the Ministry’s demolition crew would have left.
According to the Minister, in the past, because of the lack of resources, both human and equipment, the exercise may have appeared haphazard.
However, the Ministry intends to double the workforce of the demolitions crews.
The campaign goes hand-in-hand with Government’s programme to make the roadways safer which includes the building of roads and installation of street and traffic lights.
With this month designated Road Safety Month, the situation takes on an even more important aspect to the bigger picture.
He denied again there is any discriminatory manner in which the crews discharge their functions. He explained that officials may notice an immediate infringement and act on that illegal structure right away.
Otherwise, there is a list and Government will be working to remove those structures.
The Minister pointed to the Plaisance Market area where some persons were served with notices.
Estimating how much demolition would have been completed according to the Ministry’s demolition programme, Benn believed this to be less than 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, referring to the M&M Snackette land at Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara, which the letter writer yesterday claimed was being overlooked, the Minister said that there was little that could be done as the land was not sold by government but by someone else.
However, he noted that his Ministry was keeping a close eye to ensure that illegal parking was not done in a manner to obstruct traffic flowing to and from the Demerara Harbour Bridge.