Elderly woman sues gov't for millions from 20yo land acquisition

Eighty-six-year-old Pauline Hojan has filed a lawsuit against the government to recover $9 million arising from the forced acquisition of a property 20 years ago.

The three-acre property at Cousins Cove, Hanover was forcibly acquired for the Northern Coastal Highway improvement project.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency E.G Hunter had reported last month that payment was being held because of a caveat on the property.

READ: Elderly Woman Awaits Payment For Land 20 Years After Forced Acquisition

However, attorney-at-law Hugh Wildman, who is representing Hojan, said today that when the government acquired the property the caveat was already lodged against the property.

Wildman said Hojan has agreed to have the caveat removed once the money is paid by the NWA.

Hojan filed the suit in the Supreme Court yesterday naming the NWA, Minister of Finance, Dr Nigel Clarke, and the Attorney General as defendants.

She is contending that the failure to pay her is a breach of her constitutional rights and is seeking an order from the court to compel the defendants to pay.

In the claim, the elderly woman outlined steps she said her lawyer took to bring her plight to government officials but said there has been no success.

Hojan said she's of the view that only the intervention of the court will compel the defendants to honour their obligations to pay her.

Wildman said today that the defendants have been served with the documents.

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