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Squatters still occupy Mahdia arcade
…potential vendors point accusing fingers at REO
Once again Region Eight’s Government-appointed Executive Officer, Ronald Harsawack, is being accused of impeding development within the district.
Members of Mahdia Arcade Committee have claimed that Harsawack’s slothfulness in evicting squatters from the area where the arcade is supposed to be rebuilt, is frustrating economic growth in Mahdia.
Shacks encumbering arcade area
In 2010, fire destroyed two dozen buildings in the Mahdia commercial zone. The Housing Ministry has since regularized the area, creating a neat layout for the erection of 28 stalls. But, the area is now a squatter settlement.
Harsawack was appointed by Minister Irfaan Ali to oversee the rebuilding of the arcade, which involves the eviction of squatters. A deadline for the six-week notice to dismantle the shacks to allow vendors to erect their stalls was on April 30, 2012.
According to a member of the Arcade Committee, Floyd Herman, Harsawack recently sent out notices to the squatters to remove from the area but this deadline has also elapsed. He said that sending out notices is not enough since some squatters are determined not to remove.
While, the squatters are occupying the area building materials purchased from funds provided by Government are rotting.
Herman said that Government provided $20M towards rebuilding the arcade and $5M to clear an area for a new housing scheme. He confirmed that the housing scheme is cleared and persons are now identifying plots.
Some $11.4M was used to clear debris from the burnt arcade area, and to erect five proper concrete walkways and washroom facilities, he added. Another $8.6M was used to purchase and transport building materials including cement and steel.
“The cement is getting hard and steel getting rusty. Some vendors have made deals with businesses to utilize their materials and return them when the vendors are ready to build,” Herman related.
Herman said that since Harsawack became the Regional Executive Officer (REO) he only met with Committee members once. Meanwhile, the Committee is frustrated and clueless as to what is being done to remove the squatters.
“We should have started rebuilding already. Look how long we without our stalls. It looks like he doesn’t want us to progress. We went to three different Ministers about his attitude but nothing happen. This is just stressful. We can’t take it anymore,” Herman stated.
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