WHEN DARKNESS FALLS

When darkness falls, residents at Diamond try to satisfy their need for light with improvised lamps, candles, flambeaus and even with generators.

One mother said her children complain of eye problems as a result of the smoke emitting the flambeaus.{{more}}

But Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who holds ministerial responsibility for lands, said Wednesday that efforts are being made to address the problems.

Dr. Gonsalves said that the Chief Surveyor in the Ministry of Agriculture was mandated to survey the lands so that the government could proceed with allocating title deeds and to begin the development of the squatter settlement with roads and electricity. He said so far 3/4 of the lands have been surveyed.

“We want to give them title deed,” said the Prime Minister.

He said squatters will not be able to get electricity unless they present title deeds to VINLEC. This policy was enforced to discourage squatting, a problem he said was inherited by his administration.