Members of the Nassau Village/ Sea Breeze Property Owners Association met with the Bahamas Christian Council yesterday, in an attempt to garner support in their fight against Arawak Homes over a land dispute.
However, the Christian Council, which also met with Arawak Homes, said it would remain a neutral entity.
Vice-president of the association Dennis Dean said some of his members are due to have their arguments heard again at the Court of Appeal tomorrow, after they recently lost their initial case in the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of Arawak Homes.
The appellate court will hear arguments against a ruling recently handed down by Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett, that found Arawak Homes held clear title to several acres of land in the Lynden Pindling Estates sub-division.
However, association members claim they live in Nassau Village, where Arawak homes is also claiming its boundaries extend to. The lawsuits began as a result of Arawak Homes claiming proper title to land in the Nassau Village area.
In the past year the company razed several buildings to the ground, including a church, claiming the land is theirs. The court’s recent ruling found they did in fact hold clear title to the properties in question.
However, Dean insisted yesterday that the titles he and others hold for their tracts of land are good and that they are prepared to take this dispute all the way to the Privy Council if they have to. “They (the courts) only say that Arawak Homes has a better title,” he said. “The court will have to make a clear judgement on what is a better title.” It has been suggested that many of these individuals have been the victims of unscrupulous lawyers.
One land owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she and her husband held the title to their property for more than 17 years. According to her, when the land dispute with Arawak Homes began, she and her husband contacted their lawyer who they say said he felt he “did the right job” and “the title is clear”. “Arawak homes has never come to me,” she said. “And I have been living here for 17 years.”
According to her she has made a substantial investment in the property. She said one of her biggest concerns is not being able to leave her property to her kids. Another individual involved in the land dispute, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said he had invested more than $1 million in his properties and will continue to fight for them.
By CHESTER ROBARDS
Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter
