The GBHRA lamented the fact that entire families, including young children, were forced to watch the destruction of their community at the hands of someone claiming ownership over the land on which they resided.

"Having your home ripped from under you, your pets killed, your personal property destroyed, is an unspeakably traumatic experience for anyone,” said GBHRA secretary Paco Nunez. “Most of all, we worry about the emotional and psychological scars that will be borne by the children, probably for the rest of their lives.

“It is also troubling that the administrator of this residential community claims no documentation was shown to prove ownership of the property by the group behind the demolition.”

Nunez said it is incumbent upon the relevant authorities to investigate the incident at the site of the Ambassador Corral International Association's (ACIA) community for the disenfranchised, to determine whether the demolition was legal.

“The fact is, even if a group or individual can produce documents proving ownership of a certain piece of land, this does not give them the right to bulldoze people homes, to destroy their property and injure or kill their pets, as has been alleged. People have certain fundamental rights that cannot be infringed upon under any circumstances.

“The residents are saying they were denied due process. An attorney for the purported owners claims this was not the case. Meanwhile, the silence from Social Services, from Lands and Surveys, from the police, is absolutely shocking. Has anyone sought to ensure that these people have adequate food or shelter as they struggle to piece their lives back together?

Where is the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, when allegations have arisen concerning the killing and injury of animals? Last I checked, we had animal cruelty laws in this country”.

News reports described distraught family members rushing in and out of buildings in an attempt to recover personal possessions, pets and other valuables as the bulldozers moved in.

Nunez asked if permission was sought from the Ministry of Works before the demolition began.

“Whether or not you own the land, you can’t just build or demolish structures as and when you feel like it. Did they have a valid Demolition Permit as required by law? Have the authorities even asked this question?

"Sadly, this is the society we live in, where those with power fail to act in the face of human suffering – particularly when the victims happen to be underprivileged.

“Despite the lip service paid to ‘believing in Bahamians’, our politicians do little to defend the most vulnerable in our midst. Often enough, it is agencies of the government that commit the worst abuses against the poor and disenfranchised," said Nunez