–engineer’s assessment shows
Chairman of the Timehri North Community Develop-ment Council Daniel Fraser said assessments made by engineers attached to the Ministry of Public Works have proven that the community does not hamper the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project, but a few homes will definitely have to be dismantled.
Fraser told Stabroek News on Thursday that on Wednesday last, two engineers specialising in buildings and structures were tasked with accompanying him to the airport from where the area was examined. He said that during some informal discussions, these were established.
“There may be a few houses on that straight line that takes you to the airport… about 12 or 13 houses will have to be removed but we knew that from the beginning,” he stated.
According to the Timehri North CDC Chairman, the residents occupying that specific area do not mind relocating to another part of the community once financed by the government. “They don’t have an issue moving to the western side of the road… that’s our proposal. We have space in the area.
Once they remain in Timehri North and it is financed by the relocation programme,” he added.
Fraser said he was asked by the engineers to provide some basic information about the population, number of homes, types, etc and will do so shortly. In return, he noted, the engineers will provide the CDC with information about what the project.
He, however, said that the council does not wish to meet Public Works Minister Robeson Benn, whom he accused of giving false reports about meetings he has had with members of the community. “We are scared the situation won’t be what we want it to be… the community will want the minister to apologise because he has been distorting the situation… We want the minister to make a public apology but we know he won’t do that,” Fraser said.
Also, making reference to statements made by National Director of the Community Development Councils Philomena Sahoye-Shury, Fraser stated that too has been “blatantly against the truth”.
“Eight years ago, there were no concrete structures, none!” Sahoye-Shury had told Stabroek News in a recent interview. However, Fraser refuted these claims and further stated that Google Earth images dated back to 2002 prove that there were indeed concrete structures at that time.
Asked whether the council is interested in a meeting with CJIA officials, he relayed that Chief Executive Officer of the airport, Ramesh Ghir has expressed an interest but they have refused. “Mr Ghir has offered to speak with us but we don’t want to. He’s been very disrespectful to this community and we don’t want to speak to anybody who is trying to mislead the public. We prefer to speak to people who are neutral,” he posited.
In May 2012 residents in the community were given a letter by the CJIA management. It said: “Please be reminded that the land which you are occupying is the sole property of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corpora-tion (CJIAC) and as such you are illegal occupants.
You are hereby required with immediate effect to vacate the land you are currently occupying or utilising belonging to the CJIAC and remove any building or erections thereon. Failure to remove within 30 days of receipt of this notice will leave the corporation no choice but to take steps to remove you from the corporation’s land.” The letter was signed by Ghir.
The governments of Guyana and China recently signed an agreement to facilitate the financing of the airport’s expansion. The amount of financing the Chinese government will provide is US$130 million and the project is to fully commence early next year.
