Some residents?of Pickering in St Lucy believe they are being disadvantaged by the construction of the multimillion-dollar Pickering Court housing project.
Last Thursday, the angry folk gathered outside their homes protesting the excavation of the land where the upscale project is being built, saying it was encroaching on their properties.
They said they never expected the project to have been so close to their backyards, and accused the landowner of selling off the land, which they thought they would have been given the opportunity to buy, to the wealthy developers.
However, Stanley Yearwood, chief executive officer of North Ridge Development Co., who rushed over to the area in an attempt to quell the situation, denied that the developers had taken land away from the long-term residents.
“Get your attorney if you have a problem,” Yearwood said as the upset residents bombarded him with questions about the development. “I?have done what I had to do to make sure that nobody is being disadvantaged.”
He explained that surveyors had resurveyed the area and the landmarks were pointed out to the residents.
“I?personally came out here with Robert O’Neal [representative for the landowner] and we spoke to each and every resident. Everybody in the community was made aware of the development. We sat down with these people and worked out with them, every single detail. Whatever they occupy they would get, but it seems that they want more,” he charged.
However, members of the Bailey family and other residents claimed the surveyors had removed the original landmarks.
They explained that even the land which they were using as kitchen gardens was taken up and all their plants destroyed.
The residents also claimed they were not informed about how the project would have affected their lives.
When contacted, Robert O’Neal denied that the residents were being disadvantaged, while parliamentary representative Denis Kellman stated that the project would add value to the Pickering community.
