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Human Rights Advocate and Attorney at Law Mary Francis has urged the government to find affordable housing for the tenants living in the structurally unsound CDC apartments.
Tenants of blocks U, V, W, X, Y, and Z have acknowledged the danger, but have expressed concern over a notice to vacate their apartments within three months.
And asserting they would get $2,500 in relocation assistance, the tenants felt the government could do more to assist with alternative accommodations.
Mary Francis told St Lucia Times three months to move was short notice.
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Francis explained that some people have lived in the CDC apartments for a long time, while others are elderly.
“That’s going to cause a lot of pressure on them psychologically and otherwise. So I only hope the government is thinking this out very carefully,” the National Centre for Legal Aid and Human Rights Coordinator stated.
Francis acknowledged that the situation was difficult since a disaster could occur in the structurally unsound apartment blocks.
“From a human rights point of view, I see this as a forced eviction based on necessity. So how do you weigh necessity versus alternative housing for the people? In cases like that, according to housing law rights, you are supposed to first have accommodations before you evict people or ask them to leave so that they would not be exposed to the elements and their quality of life diminishes,” Francis told St Lucia Times.
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