Officials say The Farm now has more than 1,000 unregulated homes
TREASURE CAY, ABACO — The body of a man was found in a tent in The Farm shantytown in Abaco today as officials conducted a walkabout to inspect the rapid growth of the unregulated community.
The man appeared to have been sleeping in the tent with a generator, according to Deputy Prime Minister Desmond Bannister.
The deputy prime minister led a delegation including Minister of Foreign Affairs and North Abaco MP Darren Henfield, public officials and the police in a walkabout of the area this afternoon.
Police have launched an investigation into the man’s death.
During the tour, officials advised that the shantytown community has mushroomed to more than 1,000 unregulated homes.
Stephanie Hield, chairman of Treasure Cay Local Government, advised that drone footage collected periodically since the passage of Hurricane Dorian has shown the community swell from just over 100 homes in the weeks following the deadly category 5 storm to double, and then triple that figure in as many months.
Hield estimated there could be between 1,000 to 2,000 unregulated homes.
Bannister told media he believed the homes were built with professional help in the community given the number of homes and the high level of construction work, like roofing, generators and electricity supply.
Bannister said the government would seek to address the matter immediately, adding various government agencies will need to explain how this unregulated community was allowed to flourish.
Three communities were cleared following Hurricane Dorian in September 2019: The Mudd in Marsh Harbour, The Peas and Sandbanks.
However, Farm Road could not be cleared because of the occupants and a court order with respect to how the government ought to proceed.
Following the storm, the government issued a cease order with immediate effect for the four shantytown communities it planned to clear to prevent anyone from building or developing in these areas.
In November 2019, there were an estimated 75 families who remained.
Last July, Henfield told Eyewitness News at least 50 new unregulated structures have been built since the storm’s passage.
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