Dear Editor,
This is exactly the dilemma presented to residents of Parfaite Harmonie, Schoonord, Westminster, and all surrounding areas. I herein take the opportunity to enlighten the Ministry of Housing that the term ‘residential’ specifically establishes an area solely for the habitation of humans. But we the individuals who were led to believe this when we paid half a million dollars for swamp land lots, now have to contend with daily flocks of goats, cows and horses that damage fences to come onto properties and then further damage plumbing, kitchen and flower gardens, and also many areas of constructed houses.
The streets are always covered with animal faeces. Sometimes there are so many animals on the roadway your daily duties are obstructed. None of us bought these lands to be hampered. The owners of these animals give no consideration to other residents, and especially to those who have built houses but have not as yet fenced them. Simply because no one in authority tells the owners of these animals they have breached the purchase agreements, does not mean that the land was not for the housing of humans. Personally I bear no hostility towards these cattle rearers if they would simply restrict their animals to their properties. But to release them to trespass and destroy the properties of other residents displays a selfish and anti-social tendency.
Some residents take to violence to protect their properties, by any means possible. And some of the cattle offenders do the same to protect their animals.
The police fall short with their proclamation that Guyana has no law which prohibits an animal from trespassing on an unfenced property, but by the same token there is no law which disallows a property owner from using force to repel the intruders.
The NDC and the Ministry of Housing should do whatever they can to make things right. Rectitude and the avoidance of violence should now stem from those who sold the properties to residents. Who wants to be nightly awakened by bleating goats and mooing cows? We the residents would now want to know if the land sold us is for pasturage or residential.
Yours faithfully,
Jorge Bowenforbes
