COURT GAVE BOOBY ALLEY FAMILY MARCH 24 DEADLINE TO VACATE PROPERTY

The authorities waited eleven days before enforcing a High Court order requiring that a family in Booby Alley relocate from a plot of land in the area.
ABS News has seen a copy of the Court order which indicated the respondents, including Joel O’Marde, “shall give up possession of the premises situated at Villa Area, St John’s, Antigua and registered and recorded in the Antigua land registry as parcel: 89 and 92; no later than 24th March 2023 at 12 noon, failing which the applicant (the Government) is permitted to remove all chattel and or other structures on the said parcels of land.”
The applicant is the Attorney General and Joel O’Marde is listed as the second respondent.
Other respondents are Jolene O’Marde, Otis Francis, Jermain Joseph and Alec Joseph.
The Booby Alley residents are represented by Chaku Symester and Sherfield Bowen.
There were tense scenes in the area on Tuesday as Joel O’Marde reportedly threatened police officers in defiance of the court order. Police say despite their repeated efforts to secure his compliance, he armed himself with a weapon and continued threatening them, prompting them to use non-lethal means of subduing him and taking him into custody.
O’Marde has since been charged with Disorderly Conduct, Threatening Language and Being Armed With an Offensive Weapon.
The Government has asked the residents to relocate temporarily to make way for a housing renewal project in Booby Alley.
They will then return to the new homes, which are being bankrolled by a grant from The People’s Republic of China.