Construction on dead grandmother's land

Jonique Gaynor, Staff Reporter

Oniel Hamilton was more than shocked when he received a call congratulating him on the sprawling structure that was being erected on his grandmother's land. He had no knowledge of any construction and had authorised no such act.

Hamilton told THE STAR that the land, located in Patrick City, was always known to be the property of his now deceased grandmother and said he frequented the plot as a child. He added, "Mi always go deh go clean it up an dem ting deh, so mi frighten now mi go deh an see it [the land] part up. Di people dem a tell mi seh dem own half and mi a seh mi nuh know bout dat 'cause di whole place a ours."

persons claim to own the land

He said the persons who were claiming to own the land also came with a surveyor and told him they had purchased it from another individual. "Dem come wid surveyor and official ting and tek whe my part and gi mi smaddy else own."

Determined to prove all the land was owned by his grandmother, Hamilton secured a copy of the title, which he showed to THE STAR. He said, " When mi get di title now, mi a get fi understand seh wa dem a a buil' pan a my ting, so mi go to dem (builders) and dem a seh dem a go get restraining order an dem ting deh." The new 'owners' reportedly told him that they had purchased the land and had a title to prove it. When Hamilton revisited the Titles Office however, he was informed that the land was never sold and still belonged to his grandmother. " They told me that someone was intruding on my property," he said.

He told THE STAR that he was given the name of the man who reportedly sold the land and said this individual must have used some fraudulent means to do so because he thought it was abandoned.

dig up mi coconut tree

He added, "I was down in the country and is call somebody call mi an seh a so mi know seh yu rich and nuh tell mi. Wi haffi go have a drink ova di big house wha yu a build. Mi frighten fi go deh an see di big house whe dem put up inna four months."

He asked, "How you think it feel fi know seh mi grandmother used to mek mi dig up da yard deh and now smaddy else a live deh? Dem all dig up mi coconut tree and mek bulldozer trample dung di tings. Mi pay four years worth a tax and a man jus come buil wi land an a control it up."