Notice has been served by the government of its intention to acquire private land to facilitate the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.
In today’s edition of the state-owned Guyana Chronicle, the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has issued an Order entitled the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes (New Demerara River Crossing and Connecting Roads) 2017. The advertisement has a date of 23rd August, 2017.
Under the Order, the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys and/or his workmen are authorised to enter upon the described lands for the purposes of surveying or otherwise examining such lands with a view to acquiring the whole or part thereof.
The lands are described as follows:
1) Portions of Plantations Houston and Rome, East Bank Demerara bounded as follows:
On the north by a strip of land running along and within the south half of Plantation Houston;
On the east by a strip of land running along and within the 2nd depth of Plantation Houston and Rome;
On the south by a strip of land running within the north half of Plantation Rome;
On the west by the Demerara River.
2) Portions of Plantation(s) Versailles, Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara bounded as follows:
On the north by a strip of land running within the south half of Plantation Versailles;
On the east by the Demerara River;
On the south by the northern cadastral boundary of Plantation Goed Fortuin;
On the West by private lands within the 1st depths of Plantation Versailles and Goed Fortuin.
3) A strip of land connecting New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop to the New La Parafaite Harmonie access road, passing through Plantation(s) Schoonord, Murdock’s Land, Malgre Tout, Klien Pouderoyen and Vreed-en-Hoop.
A team from the ministry recently met the owners of lands that are proposed to be acquired.
The government has signalled that it wants the bridge in place by 2020. Observers have said it is eying the general elections scheduled for that year.
The first compulsory acquisition of lands order which the APNU+AFC government issued ended in ignominy when it targeted lands belonging to Attorney Clarissa Riehl and the Beharry Group. It had been intended for an extension to the Attorney General’s Chambers. The attempt was abandoned after objections were raised.
