Informal Settlements Unit Lead Promises Prosecution & Demolition

By Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

#TurksandCaicos, September 2, 2023 – Leaders of the newly etched Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) sat with members of the media on Tuesday August 22 in an opportunity to expound on the goals and mission of the ISU.  Although somberly stated, there was no mistaking the dogged resolve of Justice Carlos Simons, KC to see an end to the multi-pronged problems created by permitting unplanned communities in the TCI to go unchecked.

“We have a national motto, it says beautiful by Nature and this type of development undercuts (this),” said Simons who a month earlier, launched the ISU with the support of the Premier and the Governor of the territory.

The ISU is a Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) agency responsible for mitigating the proliferation of informal settlement activity in the Islands and the principal aim of the ISU is to build safer, more sustainable communities in the Turks and Caicos Islands and to improve the standard of living and quality of life of the affected occupants by undertaking this work.

The ISU is charged with the work of stopping this illegal practice and regularizing the long-established informal settlements to bring them in line with planning and other applicable laws.

“So don’t do it!” said the justice; a message to the crafters of these illegal constructions.  In far too many cases, they have proven to be manipulative; brazenly flouting country constructions codes in order to fatten their pockets by selling small parcels of land to impoverished or vulnerable groups; this fate has fallen largely to the Haitian community which either holds lower-salaried jobs as part of the expatriate workforce, or have migrated to the TCI illegally.

The Turks and Caicos, said Simons, is the only British overseas territory with this problem.

“In cases where there is evidence of fraud persons will be prosecuted. There is no way the Unit is going to stand by and see hard-working, law-abiding residents fleeced of their hard-earned cash on the basis of land ownership that never could exist,” Simons added, “The ISU will simply refer cases of this nature to the Attorney General’s Chambers who will take it up with the Director of Public Prosecutions and the evidence will be laid out for the judge to do with.”

It is estimated that in one informal settlement community alone, known as Dock Yard, there are at least 3,000 residents pressed into 20 acres of land.

Simons promised that his Unit, with its partners aside, will authorize the demolition of any expansions to these illegal communities which number 45 country-wide.

The goal, to reclaim some 500 acres of illegally developed land and see the thousands of residents re-situated to better quality and planning approved housing.

Joining that interview, Tito Lightbourne, Permanent Secretary of the National security secretariat who concurred that these developments pose a national security and public health threat.

When Justice Carlos Simons and PS Tito Lightbourne on Tuesday held a press conference on the gamut of work put to the Informal Settlements Unit, they very clearly stated that there were hundreds of acres to be reclaimed – both public and private.  Lightbourne said as many as 20 individuals would be make up the team at the ISU, mainly on a consultancy basis with a deputy to manage the day to day operations hired in support of  Mr. Simons who heads the unit hired.  He called the budget for the ISU, robust.  The ISU is located at the Laporte Plaza in Down Town Provo.

Dock Yard Residents feel forsaken they say… unable to get city or government services into the area… customs, they told Bishop Coletta Williams and Wilkie Arthur doesn’t come in to inspect their shipments for the stores legally licensed to operate, they have to work another arrangement so their goods are cleared …they believe Govt wants no part of the community, but head of the newly established ISU, Justice Carlos Simons KC says that is not true.

During a media meeting Tuesday PS of NSS Tito Lightbourne said  a survey which they commissioned for the Dock Yard report revealed there are at least 3000 people living in densely populated Dock Yard, 3000 people on 20 acres.  The ISU, with its new office No 20 and 22 Laporte’s Plaza, downtown Provo, said the time has come for an end to illegal settlements in the TCI and the unit is committed to getting that job done.