Heavy-duty machine operators ran for cover yesterday afternoon, as a group of
angry Point residents threw stones and other missiles at them and their
equipment.
Scores of residents were outraged over the manner in which a Booby Alley
resident was extracted from his home by police, who allegedly showed up with a
warrant for the occupants to vacate the premises, in order for the house to be
demolished as part of government’s urban renewal plan for the area.
As the female occupants of the home removed their furniture and other
possessions from the wooden house after 3pm on Tuesday, the male resident
declared his unwillingness to move and barricaded himself inside, even though he
was being cajoled by some residents and the police to leave. He instead
demanded that Prime Minister Gaston Browne, parliamentary representative for
St. John’s City West Constituency, Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin and
Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney be summoned to the area to have
discussions with him.
Police spent most of their time trying to convince the man to leave the house that
is situated in Booby Alley on the side of Lower St. John’s Street. However, his
refusal to acknowledge their request resulted in armed officers storming the
house. What is believed to be a gunshot was heard, and within seconds, the man
was lifted out of the house, placed in a police pickup, and was driven away to St.
John’s Police Station. Many onlookers believed the man was shot, but
unconfirmed reports are a firearm was indeed discharged by the police, but it
caused no injury to him. Latest reports indicate that rubber bullets were used by
the police in a bid to subdue, rather than to cause serious injury.
As the police convoy was leaving the area, some residents began throwing bottles
and stones at the vehicles, while hurling insults and indecent language at law
enforcement officers. Shortly after, they turned their attention to the heavy-duty
equipment parked in the open space in Booby Alley, close to Lower North Street.
Many began stoning the excavator and the backhoe that were dispatched by the
Ministry of Works to demolish the house, causing the operators to flee the area
to avoid injuries. For more than an hour the equipment was left unattended with
the engines running.
A Housing Units agreement was signed in August 2021, between the
Governments of Antigua and Barbuda and the People’s Republic of China, that
will result in the construction of 150 two-bedroom units, in a turn-key
arrangement at Booby Alley.
Clearing of the proposed construction site was carried out on a large part of the
area. However, to date, the government continues to experience resistance from
some residents of Booby Alley, who are not yet convinced that they should
relocate. This has caused a delay in the start of the project.
