Faced with eviction, 17 families of Rosemary Lane (Tiger Bay) agreed voluntarily to move yesterday and their shacks were immediately dismantled and reduced to a pile of rubble.
Local businessman Paul James, acting with the court’s authority to evict the residents, said he acted accordingly and with the residents’ cooperation.
When Stabroek News arrived on the scene, residents were observed dismantling their homes and carrying their belongings to a truck.
Rights activist Mark Benschop, who intervened after James had moved to dislodge the residents on Wednesday, said the truck was provided by James. The decision was made after a meeting was organised by Benschop on Thursday. Benschop also said that settlements were reached at the meeting for the residents’ unexpected inconvenience.
This newspaper witnessed some residents receiving sums of money. One individual was paid $120,000, while another was given $220,000.
One resident, who asked not to be named said, “We ain’t got money to pay big time lawyer.”
The resident said thugs had threatened them with guns. “They even threaten the little chirren,”