-some had already sold allocated lots
Squatters living along the Anna Catherina Sea View on the West Coast of Demerara who had previously applied to the Ministry of Housing for house lots would be granted lots at the Parfait-Harmonie Housing Scheme on the West Bank of Demerara.
According to a release from the Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA), Housing Minister Irfaan Ali yesterday stated that the agency is committed to providing adequate housing to citizens. He was speaking on a ‘Voice of the People’ programme on CNS Channel Six yesterday.
The Minister stated that the authorities will not accept illegality where housing is concerned, noting that the squatters from the area in question were previously allocated house lots in the Cornelia Ida and Tuschen housing areas and they were also provided with homes constructed by Food for the Poor (FFP). The release stated that of the 32 families which were removed from the Sea View area and had land allocated to them, several sold their lots and rented the homes constructed by (FFP). Ali stated that those persons who were provided with house lots and sold them will face legal action since, according to him, they were creating mischief in society.
The release also quoted the Minister as being surprised that the squatters related to sections of the media that they were given a 14-day ultimatum to remove from the Sea View area without seeking comments from the Housing Ministry. Stabroek News made several attempts on Monday afternoon to clarify whether the squatters were given six days to remove from the area as related by them but officials at the agency would only state that the relevant persons to comment on the issue were unavailable.
Minister Ali stated that the last notice served to the residents to remove from the seawall area was issued in April, 2009 and during that period an occupational survey was conducted on 33 households in the area; the occupants were subsequently invited to visit the Housing Ministry and apply for house lots. He stated that only 12 persons visited the Ministry at the end of December last.
He also described the actions of the squatters of occupying the government reserve at the Anna Catherina South Scheme as a “well planned activity” noting that decisive action had to be taken since officials from the Housing Ministry were threatened by squatters during a visit to the government reserve aback of Anna Catherina where illegal structures were erected.
Ali described the situation as a series of events that led to the final actions which were taken, noting that the government housing programme is to develop house lots especially for low-income earners.
Residents in the area were two days ago contemplating their next move following the events of the past several days which commenced with water over-topping the sea defence nearby during a spring tide which occurred along the coast, resulting in the destruction of several small homes and fences on the seawall area. Residents in the area told Stabroek News yesterday that they have received assurances from the housing authorities following visits to the government offices over the past two days.
