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Squatter Problem Swells

Fredrick SouthwellAntigua St John's - What started out as roughly five squatters in the Yorks New Extension/McKinnons area has grown to over a dozen, two months after a planned intervention.

Fredrick Southwell, acting chief town and country planner, said the Development Control Authority (DCA) has still not been able to come up with a solution.

Squatters have settled in different locations, including Mount Pleasant, all within the St John’s Rural North constituency over which Minister John Maginley has oversight.

The minister said he has had no luck getting the situation regularized, as the organisations involved continue to work without result.

Southwell said, “We are still working on things... we had a slight setback. Initially, we were looking at about five houses being squatter houses, but we have discovered that it is many more than that… at least 13.”

He noted that the property in the Yorks/McKinnons area belongs to the owner of King's Casino, but has been unattended for some time.


The acting chief could not say exactly what the DCA has planned, but assured that any assistance would be from the board level.

“Those other entities have representatives on the DCA board," he said. "The heads of departments sit on the DCA board. That is where the interagency collaboration is taking place." The "representatives" he was referring to include people from APUA and elsewhere.

In the meantime, property owners are still calling for assistance from the government and other authorities to rectify the situation.


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14 Comments In This Article   

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For god sake man, people need to act like they got some semblance of class...

#14 Hetty Coates » 2012-04-11 13:20

If this squatters issue is reported to the DCA (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL AUTHORITY) they should be the AUTHORITY that CONTROLS DEVELOPMENT across the entire island....which includes both public AND private lands. Calling the police in to remove persons in this situation is well within the scope of their job & it should be treated with urgency to quell further cases occuring on private & public land alike in the future. By dealing with issues like this now they discourage others from following suit to build and squat as they please.... and this will in time make their jobs easier as they will have less cases like this to deal with since they made their stance clear on squatting. . Only in Antigua people can set up shop in town on land that they didnt buy and everyone turns a blind eye, only in antigua a village can just spring up on someone else's land...and people claim someone complaining about it is "badmind". smh
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Hetty Coates

For god sake man, people need to act like they got some semblance of class...

#13 Hetty Coates » 2012-04-11 13:16

Look here see I am sick &tired of this triffling, want all for nuttin tawl attitude that is reigning in Antigua. If you know the land isn't yours rent a blasted apartment til you can afford your own . I am sorry but this is madness...you didn't buy the land, didn't ask permission to use the land, didn't run around to register the land, deal with all the headache, paperwork, property taxes, inland revenue visits involved ...but you want to set up shop on someone else's land just so? I am sorry I dont think it is badminded to request that EVERYONE maintains the law of the land &follows correct protocol when it comes to living together as a community. Whether it is private or public owned land, whether it is fenced or grown over "in cops" this behavior of moving in on land 'dat na belongst to you' IS STEALING. Stealing is a crime, trespassing on private property also a crime and govt business so whoever said the govt has no responsibility in this is full of it.... and furthermore the DCA should make it their business to advise the public that extreme measures will be taken when this behavior occurs.
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Hetty Coates

It's private land

#12 Lester Baldwin » 2012-02-27 19:31

They just said the property was owned by the owner of Kings. So let them deal with the problem and pay people to wreck the houses or move them. They should of fenced their property.
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Lester Baldwin

wow

#11 wadadlichild » 2012-02-27 18:40

I don't get all the running around. Thirty days to vacate then the bulldozer is coming matter of fact parked ready to go on the 29th day. Simple.....
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wadadlichild

RE: Squatter Problem Swells

#10 lamanex » 2012-02-27 18:19

Antigua has no rules nor regulations, or if they do the authorities have no balls to enforce them. Thats why squatters, murderers, robbers drug dealers are all ahead of the game while your authorities keep knee **ing as they are made aware of issues. If I found squatters on my property I will tear down or burn down their building then we can meet in court to prove whose property it is.
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lamanex

RE: Squatter Problem Swells

#9 Barry » 2012-02-27 16:42

When I bought my land I was required to sign an agreement with C.H.A.P.A as it pertains to the size, type, value etc before the sale was concluded. when I was ready to build the DCA told me what percentage of the land to build on. I submitted plans that were approved with the required setbacks and sewage management ( wastewater field included). Now years later my largest investment is not worth what it should be. I should have waited and squatted and save $$$$$$$. I hope that anyone who wants a place to put down roots finds out where the heads of CHAPA, DCA and our absent Rep reside then put your house next door! They don't care or mind! I've never seen my Rep down in the area.
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Barry

seeker - DCA approved

#8 tenman » 2012-02-27 15:46

seeker APUA has provided evidence that the "squatters" presented documents from DCA, showing that they had a right to utilities (see www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=66317)


..
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tenman

apua involvement

#7 seeker » 2012-02-27 13:58

I want to know how comes APUA is involved in this. You mean to say these squatters have water, electricity and internet? Lol.

When i applied for APUA services I had to go to get my papers stamped to say that i got the owners and DCA approval to get the services....HOw comes that was not so for the squaters. I find these organisations too slack. What applies for some should apply for all.
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seeker

Residents are powerless

#6 Dig It » 2012-02-27 12:27

By the time the DCA take any measures to intervene, they will be more than 20 squatter homes! It is sad that the DCA is slow in the process! Yet, the Constituency Representative is doing little\nil to help find a solution to the squatters by not putting enough pressure on those organizations involved! Residents are complaining everyday about squatters but can't see their MP John "Dodge" Maginley to voice their concerns!
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Dig It

@Taxed out

#5 Reality » 2012-02-27 10:57

"seek the intervention of the courts"?

Are you kidding? You know how slow they are! Does the name "Leroy King" ring any bells?
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Reality

Squatters on private lands

#4 ??????? » 2012-02-27 09:57

if the land is privately owned then squatting is not the problem of DCA or any other government body. if the squatters are affecting other landowners in the area then i would like to hear how? and what they would like the authorities to do. I can't understand how i can be on my own land and be affected by persons squatting on a neighboring land. the only thing i can think about in my shallow brain is (BADMIND).
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???????

So It's not just me?

#3 skyewill » 2012-02-27 07:16

I got a squaters story that will knock your socks off. It has a twist that when i tell you guys about some will laugh and some will wonder and someone will be arrested and sued...soon come with the Bullbud.
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skyewill

RE: Squatter Problem Swells

#2 Morris » 2012-02-27 07:05

So, after more two months of discussions the we receive the traditional and most popular response that they are "unable to come up with a solution." Really? That is more than enough time for even a few elementary school student to come up with a better solution. Perhaps it will take these squatters to take up residence outside of parliament and other government buildings before a solution is found. My gosh! How hard can it be?
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Morris

Squatters on private lands!!!

#1 Taxed Out » 2012-02-27 04:42

The penultimate paragraph is suggestive that persons are squatting on private lands!!!! The owners don't think that they should seek the intervention of the Courts rather than leave the squatters on their lands to claim prescriptive title?
Just wondering cause it does not make much sense to me as I thought DCA would only deal with squatters on government lands. ;-)
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Taxed Out

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