Squatting is illegal and comes with known consequences including the reality of structures being demolished by landowners, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, stated in a Department of Public Information (DPI) release yesterday.
The minister was referring in this instance, to what he termed, the continued problem of persons squatting on privately owned or state-owned lands along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. He made it clear that squatting was illegal and as such government cannot provide amenities noting that those who decide to squat on private or state lands must acknowledge the inherent limitations and challenges of such actions. “Squatting is illegal, and therefore squatters cannot reasonably expect the government to provide infrastructure and services in areas that were never formally or officially designated for residential use.”
He added, “The decision to unlawfully occupy land comes with known consequences, including insufficient or non-existent basic infrastructure such as potable water and sanitation facilities, and the stark reality of structures being demolished by landowners.”