House surrounded by mud in St. Martin’s

If it seems that this station spends a lot of time dealing with a Minister of Government named Hubert Elrington, we must plead guilty as charged… and we offer as a defense the fact that Mr. Elrington is so active in the carrying out of his duties. Today the Minister is back in the news again… as one of his constituents claims that he’s getting a particularly dirty deal.

Steven Tingling

“Da just wan lee shack but I live in there but I keep it nice; I keep it clean.”

But when Steven Tingling returned from work this morning, his nice, clean shack off Mahogany Street near the river was covered with mud. According to Tingling, a resident of the area since 1991, his problems started in March when he found a note on his door from the Minister of Housing Hubert Elrington, stating that he had to move to facilitate a digging project.

Steven Tingling

“Well no, deh no give you a date fi move dem just seh you have to move because they need the waterfront yah. But everybody pan dih waterfront have to move but dem cyan move because dem no have no place to go.”

So, Tingling said, the residents sought the help of the Minister who promised them housing and land in a different location. But this promise has not yet become reality, and this morning Steven Tingling got a rude awakening: a mountain of mud covered most of his house.

Steven Tingling

“This morning I gon see him but I get a phone call from his driver seh I cyan talk to ah because dem di lef for Belmopan and dem no come back till tomorrow or tonight because dem di lef fi Belmopan ina di next five minutes and im cyan deal wid that right now.”

But until the Minister can find time to deal with his constituents, Tingling and his neighbors may join the ranks of Belize City’s homeless. Arreini Palacio for News Five.

Minister Elrington was attending cabinet all day and could not be reached for comment.