‘Wi want wi money’ - Turners residents yet to be paid for lands used in road expansion

Residents of Turners in Clarendon are upset with the National Land Agency and National Works Agency (NWA) as they say they are being taken for a ride.

Many of them, who had to give up their lands to facilitate the Soursop Turn to Chapelton road-expansion project, said they are yet to be properly compensated for their lands.

One senior citizen fears she will not be able to be paid as although she has been paying property tax for 26 years, she doesn't have a title for the land.

"From them come and teck mi land, a don't hear nutting from dem," said Mavis Beckford, who moves around in a wheelchair.

For 92-year-old Roy Banton, he said he has been disrespected and feels as if the authorities don't care. He said he was paid some money for one section of his land that was used, but he has no idea what the complete payment should be.

"They say they can't pay in full because they don't know for sure how much land was used up," banton told the CENTRAL STAR.

"All now a can't get any compensation and when we contact them, no one answers," he said.

Other residents in Turners are singing the same song as they say they are yet to hear from the NWA.

Beulah Morgan, president of New Rose Youth and Community Development Association, which is a part of the Turners Community Development Committee, said there are persons whose lands were used in the road expansion who have died without being compensated.

Stephen Shaw, the communication and customer service manager at the NWA, said that the agency is aware of the situation. He said that representation has been made to secure compensation for the property owners.

The reconstruction and straightening of the 10.5 kilometres of roadway from Soursop Turn to Chapelton was done at a cost of more than $1 billion.