Over seven years ago, the Murrell family, of Paradise Heights, Morvant, was severely traumatised after one of their relatives was killed by gunmen who stormed into their apartment while they were asleep.
The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) relocated the family to Cleaver Heights in Arima, but the unit offered was too small to reasonably accommodate the entire family. There were also electrical and water issues.
As a result, Elizabeth Cassey-Murrell, now, 64, and her daughter, Chrisandra, now, 36, along with the rest of the family remained at Paradise Heights although the keys for Cleaver Heights unit was handed over to Cassey-Murrell in 2011.
Speaking to the T&T Guardian, Murrell (Chrisandra) explained that HDC officials were fully aware there were issues with the electricity and water and knew they were still at Paradise Heights in the interim until the issues were rectified. All the issues were finally resolved in 2014.
But now, just days before Christmas 2017, the family has been served an eviction notice by the HDC to move out of the Paradise Heights apartment they have now been occupying for the past 34 years by December 21.
The notice came as a shock for the family. But there is a twist to the story.
“My sister, Karlene Cassey, began paying the fee of $1,000 every month for Cleaver Heights after they handed over the keys to my mother in 2011…but not until 2014 that they fixed the lights and water and that’s when my sister decided to move in with her three kids because my mother and the rest of us were still at Paradise and paying for there too,” Murrell (C) said. She further explained that HDC officials knew they were occupying both apartments up until this year.
“When my sister paid off for Cleaver Heights my mummy told HDC that she is no longer interested in Cleaver Heights and wanted her name relinquished from there and would like her daughter instead to be considered as an applicant, since she paid off for there and we still paying for Paradise Heights.
“That was when they made my mother swear an affidavit and told us to bring in documents, which we did. We went in to them a few times and did everything they asked us to do,” Murrell said.
Laventille East/Morvant MP Adrian Leonce has even since lobbied on behalf of the Murrell family.
In a letter dated December 12, 2017, to HDC managing director Brent Lyons, Leonce said Murrell sought his assistance after the HDC began refusing to take payment for the Paradise Heights apartment then served the family with the eviction notice. That letter was copied to Siama Funrose, HDC’s Manager, Mortgage and Rental Administration.
Councillor Franz Lambkin also wrote to Lyons on December 8, begging for good judgement.
“In the seasonal spirit of goodwill, I implore your good judgment and mercy.”
Contacted for comment on the issue, Lyons said the HDC will extend the eviction notice by two weeks since they had launched an extensive investigation into the case. He admitted there were unanswered questions that needed clarification.
In response to Lyons’ move, Murrell told the T&T Guardian they wanted results.
“We do not want the extension but we want a result ,because the HDC knew everything about us occupying both places and the reasons. They told us nothing otherwise. We continued to pay for both apartments,” Murrell said.
“My sister kept going in to them, including my mummy, up until this year. Now, without warning, we got this eviction notice and all we want now is a result,” she added.
Tragic history to case
On July 14, 2010, Murrell’s sister, Carolyn, 23, was fatally shot while hiding under a table.
She was the daughter of a police constable assigned to North-Eastern Division. According to a police report, at about 12.25 am, relatives were sitting in the living room when three men dressed in black and armed with firearms stormed their apartment and started shooting. Carolyn attempted to hide, but was shot several times.
Her other relatives ran into the bedroom and hid. The gunmen then fled the scene.