Former custodians testify the insect infestation began after too many 'messy' Asians moved in.
By HANK DANISZEWSKI
The London Free Press
Cambodian and other Asian tenants are to blame for cockroach infestations at two northeast London apartment buildings, a couple who worked as custodians for landlord Elijah Elieff testified at an Ontario human rights hearing Monday.
Irina and Mike Sucur testified as the human rights commission's board of inquiry resumed its hearing to investigate a complaint Elieff discriminated against his Asian tenants at 95 and 105 Cheyenne Ave. in London.
The Sucurs said Elieff was not a racist but, in fact, was overly tolerant in allowing too many Cambodians into the building.
NICE PEOPLE: "They are nice people, friendly people, but they are messy," said Mike Sucur.
The Sucurs moved into 105 Cheyenne in 1985 and shortly after became custodians for both buildings.
Elieff, acting on his own behalf, asked lrina Sucur if there were any problems with cockroaches when "all white Canadians" lived in the building in 1985.
Sucur said the buildings were clean until Cambodian refugees started moving in about 1986.
She said she had warned Elieff not to allow the Cambodians into the apartments because she believed they had come from another building on Huron Street where she had heard there were cockroach problems.
Sucur said Elieff laughed at her warning and told her he didn't know what cockroaches were.
Once a number of Cambodians moved in, she said other tenants moved out because they were offended by cooking odors from the Cambodian apartments. Soon after that, about 90 per cent of the tenants were Cambodian or Vietnamese and she said there were problems with cockroaches, vandalism, overcrowding and garbage in the halls.
She said the couple quit their jobs and moved out in disgust in 1988 because the cleaning job became impossible.
"I told him he wouldn't get a superintendent for this place for any money."
Sucur said she decided to testify because she believed media reports alleging Elieff was a racist were unfair.
NO COMPLAINTS: Mike Sucur said he was convinced that the cockroach problems were linked to the Cambodian tenants, but they never complained.
"It seemed to me the cockroaches didn't bother them," he said.
He said Elieff appeared to be a compassionate landlord and showed his tolerance for Cambodians by allowing as many as 17 people to live in one unit for months at a time.
"He is not against Cambodians. No one in the city took in as many as he did."
Hearing adjudicator Ajit John struggled to maintain order during the hearing and repeatedly warned Elieff not to put words in the mouths of his witnesses.
Elieff also called his son, Zoranco, and his wife Sultana as witnesses.
Elieff asked his wife about the effect that all the negative publicity had on the couple's submarine sandwich shop on Richmond Street.
She said the business was suffering and some customers had taunted her that the sandwiches were garnished with cockroaches.
The hearing is scheduled to continue today at London city hall.
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last updated on April 28, 2002
