With only two weeks left to appeal the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Bozine Town land dispute, members of the Christian Council are now asking government to step in and save the people from losing their homes.
Speaking with The Tribune yesterday, vice-president of the Christian Council Bishop John Humes of the Church of God said he is throwing his full support behind the community of Bozine Town and Knowles Drive in their fight to stay on land that some of them have lived on for more than five decades.
“I have no trouble speaking out on this, we have to be strong on this issue. And I am appealing to all the church leaders to join the Baptists -led by (Christian Council president) Dr William Thompson – and the Church of God to support these people,” he said.
The land dispute surrounding the Bozine Town and Knowles Drive area first began in late 2004 when the 500 or so residents received letters from the law firm of Lockhart and Munroe, informing them that its clients, the Harrold Road Land Development Company, (LANDCO) had been granted certificates of title to property between Bozine Town, Knowles Drive and Harrold Road.
Last month the Supreme Court ruled to dismiss the action the community had brought against LANDCO.
However, MP for the area Agriculture Minister Leslie Miller assured his constituents that they will not be displaced. He said government is currently reviewing the possibility of offering LANDCO Crown land in exchange for the Bozine Town and Knowles Drive land.
Since the announcement was made, however, the people of Bozine Town have not received any further information on the matter.
Spokesperson for the Bozine Town Steering Committee Tyrone Brown said yesterday that residents are becoming increasingly concerned with government’s silence.
“We only have little time to appeal the ruling. Only two weeks until we have to file for the appeal. Now government has promised that we would not lose our land, but we have not heard anything. If we lose our chance to appeal, that’s it – it will be a lost cause,” he said.
Bishop Humes said he is very surprised that government is being so “tight-lipped” on this issue.
“Other than the one time we heard from the MP for the area, we have not heard one word. Nothing from other government officials, nothing from the prime minister.
“We’ve had a church in that area, the Lakeview Church of God, since 1972. While we recognise the legality of the Supreme Court’s ruling, we do not support it. We feel that the morality aspect of this case has not yet been considered,” he said.
By KARIN HERIG, Tribune Staff Reporter
