President of the Debe to Point Fortin Highway Action Committee, Edward Moodie, is calling on Minister of Works and Transport Fitzgerald Hinds to prevent 59 people from losing their homes.
The families are in danger of being evicted from their rental units after the state failed for the past five months to pay their rent. The families were relocated by the Government during construction of the Debe to Point Fortin Highway.
More than 100 residents along the highway to Point Fortin had their homes demolished to make way for the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension.
The residents agreed to move after being promised lands at Petit Morne and Picton.
They were promised a rental allowance until the lots were ready for construction of the new homes.
Yesterday, a group of affected residents protested outside the Transport Ministry to bring attention to their plight.
However, Moodie, who attempted to enter the ministry to speak to Hinds, was barred by security officials and told he had to leave.
He asked to speak to a secretary or representative of the minister and was denied that.
In an interview after the protest, Moodie, who was a community consultant with National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (Nidco), said many of the affected residents had been awaiting their rental allowance for the last four months.
“The two outreach offices which were set up in Debe and Fyzabad have only excuses to give to the residents. Visits to Nidco’s head office have also come up empty-handed with respect to when their rent will be paid,” Moodie said.
He said one lady was thrown out of her rental apartment because the rent could not be paid.
“Who is to blame? Is it all UNC politically-appointed people at Nidco trying to make the PNM look bad or is it that the PNM has adopted a UNC style of approach to victimise those whom they feel are not their supporters?” Moodie asked.
He said either way the affected residents were being victimised.
He added: “Christmas is coming and Nidco officials will be collecting their Christmas bonus while we the residents are being discriminated against. Where is the justice in all this?”
Hinds did not answer several calls to his mobile phone.