-plans in train to build 250 roads countrywide
The Ministry of Housing and Water recently issued 42 more land titles to residents of Cornelia Ida and Vive-La-Force and it revealed plans to develop 250 more roads across the country.
According to a Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) press release eight residents at Cornelia Ida, WCD and 34 at Vive-La-Force, WBD were given titles for land they have been occupying for a number of years. In his address to Cornelia Ida residents Minister Irfaan Ali told them that occupation of the area first started in the 1960s. He also said that over the years government has focused on developing the community especially in areas where persons have been deprived of the opportunity to benefit from national development. “If you had your titles 44 years ago many of you could have gone to the banks and built homes which were far cheaper during those times…but you never had that opportunity because you did not have any ownership or any titles that could have been used for collateral,” he said.
Despite the lack of titles, Ali said over the past years government has invested in infrastructural development in the community. He said too it has never neglected its responsibility to ensure that it delivered equal services to the area in keeping with those delivered to other communities. The minister also said that in a few weeks’ time engineers from his ministry will be conducting an assessment of the area to fulfil their requests for a walkway that will allow easier access to their homes.
According to GINA the National Assembly recently passed a supplementary provision for the construction of a number of roads in old housing schemes under the Community Roads Improve-ment Project, co-funded by the Caribbean Development Bank, which will see huge infrastructural investments in Region Three and other regions. In addition to the supplementary provision the minister said another $1B will be expended to develop more than 250 roads countrywide under the purview of the public works ministry. Ali also told them that the Guyana Water Incorporated will be digging a new well that is expected to boost the water supply at Cornelia Ida and Hague Backdam.
Meanwhile, in his address to Vive-La-Force residents Ali thanked them for their patience and expressed appreciation to Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union President Komal Chand for his role in accelerating the issuing of land titles for residents in the area. He said though persons often think of unions as strictly responsible for agitating for workers wages, “there is a much wider role for these entities and that is ensuring that they place the necessary pressure for the upliftment of the general living conditions and livelihood of the workers.”
Regional Chairman Julius Faerber told the beneficiaries that despite the delay in having their housing regularised and access to titles, “the fruits of the process have materialized.” He then updated the community on regional works which are currently ongoing and those which will be done next year. Beneficiaries from both communities said they were thankful to have received their land titles.
