They say progress brings problems and that's where it is tonight for one small restaurant owner in the yard of a government complex. It's the government building on North Front Street near Mirab which houses the ministries of Housing and Education as well as the Marketing Board and the CYDP office. It's a very full building with very limited parking; the ministry wants to expand it and Patricia Shield is in the way. We found out more when we visited Patty's Restaurant today.
Jules Vasquez, Reporting
If you have difficulty reading this letter that's because it's been torn up and then taped back up by an angry Patricia Shield who owns a small restaurant, Patty's here at the western corner of this government compound parking lot. The letter dated today tells her that she is trespassing and has 30 days to move. It's a message she did not want to hear.
Patricia Shield, Restaurant Owner
"When I finish reading this letter I just tear it up and when I finish tearing it up I told him like this, 'you go and tell Ms. Babb that I said I am not moving from here.'"
Babb got that message. She says it's not personal. They are upgrading the parking lot and Sheild's establishment is in the way of progress.
Carol Babb, Deputy Chief Education Officer
"Under the Honorable Patrick Faber, he is trying to restructure the entire compound. We have a problem daily to find parking spots. Sometimes I have to park over at Mirab and the management of Mirab gets after me. And secondly we also have problems with safety, as you may be aware there was an armed robbery at the lower flat. The Minister is trying to make available parking spots for the three ministries because we have three ministries and Marketing Board. I know that the lady needs her income but we are saying that we need the space so that we can ensure that our employees are safe and that we have proper parking spaces as well."
Shield says that her corner is naturally unfit for parking because of this diagonal lamp post which crosses directly front of it. And she says she's been here for ten years.
Patricia Shield
"Mr. Dickie told me like this, he says if I wanted to do it in this yard. I said, 'Are you serious?' He said yes, "Just pick a spot that is in nobody's way." Here was a lot of mud and bush. I got it cleaned up and got someone to build this building for me. I am here for the past ten years."
Carol Babb
"Does she have a written agreement? I don't think she has. That was probably a verbal agreement. That took place many years ago. That's null and void. We are saying to her that we appreciate that she needs a job, but we are saying that we need the space here because we have a volume of people coming in everyday. We have to ensure the safety of our people here."
But for Shield, she says she is no intrusion on this compound.
Patricia Shield
"I have one vehicle, one car that I parked here. The rest is parking for them. What is their problem? They don't want to see black people strive? They think I am making a lot of money, but I am not."
Carol Babb
"We are asking the lady to corporate with us to kindly relocate to some other place because this is a government ministry and it will affect her business too because after we restructure everything people will no longer come in to buy as they want to because there will be check and balances."
So it's final. Patty's has to go but Shield says it won't be without a fight.
Patricia Shield
"I have to work hard to take care of my kids. If they want to move me they need to find somewhere to put me. "
Babb proposed that Shield could appeal directly to any of the ministers in the building for support in re-locating.
