EDITORIAL
Imagine living in a perpetual hell because of a neighbor who gets personal gratification out of aggravating and upsetting you and your family. Imagine becoming physically ill from the constant barrage of physical, physiological and emotional stress brought on by a neighbor who refuses to follow the most basic laws of the land. Sounds like a well-written fiction novel? Think again!
In an otherwise idyllic place, no one would fathom that this is the almost daily existence of the Adam family for the past five years in West Bay. Wilson Mendoza and his wife have made the lives of elderly couple Mike and Lissa Adam unbelievably challenging because they refuse to accept a 45-year-old right of way that runs through the property they acquired about five years ago.
The story could very well be ripped out of the pages of an episode of Fear Thy Neighbor. It is riveting and full of constant drama. Ultimately, these are the lives of people who have worked and lived peacefully in that neighborhood for over 35-years with no issues at all. Then in a blink of an eye, the young American couple who moved in next door turned out to be the couple from hell prepared to terrorize you into submitting to their desires regardless of what the law states.
This is not a situation that requires you to believe one party over another. CMR requested via the RCIPS details of how many incidents have occurred at the residence and the numbers would shock anyone.
Since August 15, 2018 there have been at least 32 phone calls made for police service to the location at Lissa Lane. Of the 32 calls, 9 have been recorded as crimes. The remaining 23 were categorized as 17 civil disputes by the police. 2 were determined to be harassment/alarm/distress, 1 prowler, 1 careless driving 1 public/environmental matters and 1 person in distress/danger.
20 of those calls were made from the Mendoza residence, 10 from the Adam residence and 1 from Crosby Ebanks – another neighbor and friend of the Mendozas.
Of the 9 calls for services that have become crimes –
- 2019-008125 – Theft – No suspects identified, No Further Action
- 2019-008778 – Damage to Property, No Further Action – Legal Ruling
- 2019-013751 – Damage to Property, No Further Action – Legal Ruling
- 2019-025767 – Harassment Alarm or Distress – Cleared by Arrest
- 2019-034333 – Damage to Property, No Further Action – Legal Ruling
- 2019-001047 – Causing Fear or Provocation of Violence – Investigation is active. ODPP had recommended that charges of common assault should be brought against 3 persons
- 2020-015798 – Criminal Trespass – Closed Undetected
- 2020-021017 – Common Nuisance – No Further Action – Legal Ruling
- 2020-023797 – ICT S.90 offence – Suspect identified and currently under active investigation.
There have been no successful prosecutions as yet as the prosecution in relation to the active crimes is still considered ongoing.
Quite amazingly, the police have shared that no arrests have been made against the Mendoza family who are always insistent on inviting police officers into their homes when they are called out. Every move in the area is being recorded by Wilson Mendoza as he has several CCTV cameras up and almost stalkingly watches and observes his neighbors even on their own property.
The Adam family has not been so lucky. Mike Adam, a retired senior civil servant and former Government minister was arrested charged with common assault. Their children have been pulled into the drama and been subjected to criminal allegations. In fact, even CMR was hauled into court after Mendoza refused and physically blocked the National Roads Authority and others from putting in a public road.
Imagine the incredulous nature of this situation – a man can damage your property, have his kids threw rocks at you, threaten to kill members of your family, interfere with emergency personnel gaining access to a home and block government officials from carrying out pre-approved works with notice and nothing happens to him.
Officers stop by and do courtesy calls at his residence and go into his home – no such courtesy extended to the Caymanians who have resided there for over four decades. The only action taken against him was when the police commissioner ordered his vehicle to be towed; and that was returned the following day.
Mendoza remains bold in his pursuit to close of the access way – telling the Adam family they must create a new access point to the back of their property to land they do no longer even own. Given the numbers provided by the authorities, it becomes very obvious that he has every justification to be bold as the law appears to be one-sided.
How is this even possible? Are there different rules that apply to different people in this country? Will justice ever be served?
Mendoza has delayed the government's public road plans and earlier this week he made it very clear that his legal reasons for doing so are just a smokescreen. He claimed the NRA did not follow the correct procedure in serving him notice and have not offered him fair compensation for his piece acquired compulsorily to put the road through. What he likely hasn't told the courts is how NRA had bent over backward to accommodate him and even promised to build his concrete wall back in front of the driveway.
He gets the benefit of the doubt every single time. The community is left wondering how someone is permitted to torment their neighbor for years and no one has sought to bring criminal legal charges against them.
Over a year later, the saga continues with no date set for the judicial review application and no updates from the Legal Department on when the matter is scheduled for court.
The toll on the Adam family has been immeasurable. Had they had the support of each other and the community at large there is no telling what would have happened. Mendoza for his part remains idle and unemployed. His plans for turning the property into a big-time AirBnB have no doubt been placed on hold because of COVID-19.
Life continues on Lissa Lane …
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid