THE lawyer for 104 Nabua Public Rental Board tenants has asked the High Court for five years’ grace from eviction despite the board saying the building they live in are structurally unsound.
Justice Anjala Wati will deliver her decision next week on PRB’s application — under Section 169 of the Land Transfer Act 1971 — to clear the building, built in 1965, for urgent structural renovations.
The tenants’ lawyer, Ilisapeci Tunamena of Tufani Law, yesterday submitted that displacing the low-income families without alternative accommodation would cause severe hardship. She told the court that the Ministry of Housing and the Office of the Prime Minister were drafting a proposal seeking a five-year grace period.
Ms Tunamena argued that the building’s deterioration resulted from two decades of neglected maintenance rather than immediate failure, and that tenants have a right to life and shelter.
In response, PRB’s lawyer Shelvin Singh argued that engineering reports confirm the structure faced an immediate risk of collapse during seismic activity, with suspended floors at high risk of failure. He stressed that PRB’s primary responsibility is to protect human life.
Mr Singh further argued that PRB held no statutory or contractual obligation to provide alternative housing for evicted tenants, who were served formal notices in December 2025. He also objected to the proposed government plan, stating it was not supported by evidence.
Justice Wati noted the balance between the tenants’ accommodation needs and the public safety risks raised under public health and housing legislation.
