CRUEL TWIST OF FATE - Businessman who built plaza now forced to sell from back of a van

If you are familiar with the town of Morant Bay in St Thomas, chances are you would've conducted some business at the Pressa Plaza located on 1 Wharf Road.

The multi-shop establishment, which overlooks the Rudolph Elder Park, was named after businessman Vincent 'Pressa' Robinson. It comprised Pressa Farm Store and Hardware Supplies and some 20-odd other stores, which were rented.

The 65-year-old man, who tenants have known to be their landlord for more than 20 years, was recently evicted from the building by the St Thomas Municipal Corporation, forcing him to operate his farm store from a makeshift tent on the property.

Other occupants were instructed that all rent is to be paid to the corporation and not to Robinson, who has accused the local council of robbing him of his life's investment and eventual pension.

"I applied for this place in September 1996 and was accepted. When I came here it was a slaughterhouse at its worst state. Nobody wanted it. I started operating it and setting up my shops as approved," Robinson said.

The businessman said that he made his intention to purchase the premises known but was never granted the opportunity to buy.

"We agreed that the lease would be $10,000 per month, so I started to build. Everything I ever earned I put back in the place. I've never travelled ... only thing I know is how to work," he said.

Robinson shared that his lease was later amended to $26,650 by the parish council, which advised that he was now occupying two lots.

He admitted that he refused to pay the additional sum as he believed it was a breach of their initial agreement.

"I was taken to court in 2008 for non-payment of fees. I tried to give them an offer for the place because I'm just interested in buying and moving on," Robinson shared, adding that a threat of expulsion was later averted after he paid a portion of the monies owed.

The eviction was, however, executed on November 16, 2021 after his alleged continued reluctance to pay the lease.

"I started to sell under a tree in the park then I moved over here under this shed. I've been working from I was 15, so it's 50 years of my investment being taken away in one day. I've written to the council on many occasions before it reached here, and them don't answer because they have one goal and it's to take away the place," Robinson said.

He told THE WEEKEND STAR that he has written to Prime Minister Andrew Holness for his intervention, but to no avail. Although his letters to Holness have gone unanswered, Robinson is pleading with the prime minister to help to him get back his plaza in which he has invested his all.

Meanwhile, the St Thomas Municipal Corporation, in defending its decision, shared that the eviction was ordered by the Supreme Court after Robinson neglected to adhere to a lease agreement, despite being allowed lengths of leniency.

"We tell him the place is not for sale but he continues to pursue. In 2014 an order was issued stating that the corporation was to recover the rental arrears, which was $2.7 million at that time, with interest at six per cent per annum. That's when he paid $500,000 and nothing more since. The court order also said that the corporation should recover possession of the location. The file shows the number of time the council has been lenient and he is just adamant. The lawyer advised to have him evicted as it is the only way possession can be taken of the property, and that was done last November," the council shared.

Meanwhile, some of Robinson's former tenants have described the situation as unfair.

"If is money him owe, them can deal with it better. Nobody never used to look down here because dem say a seaside and a him come and build it up so others can get work," said Shavanece Whyte, who operates a salon on the building.

"This is the heights of disrespect. How dem sleep in dem bed to see him like this ... from a plaza to a tent," she added.

Chiming in, another tenant, Marlon McKen, said, "Seeing a person build everything from scratch then having it taken away really rough. Because of him I was able to employ three persons, including my son, so I hope and pray something works out for him."