The approximately 70 persons living in a housing compound at Guyhoc Park might soon have access to better living conditions following a visit from Minister Valerie Adams-Yearwood.
Adams-Yearwood committed the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) to working with the 15 families to either regularise the location or relocate them to homes on the East Coast of Demerara.
The families, some of whom have been at the location directly opposite the Guyana Water Incorporated’s sewage treatment plant for roughly two decades, said they were willing to accept anything government offers.
“We were living in Tiger Bay and the house was not in a good condition so they move us here and promise us land. They did give some of us land, they gave the elderly land but the others they left here,” one resident, who has been at the location for 21 years, explained.
She noted that she had applied to the then Ministry of Housing for a turnkey home but was unable to secure a bank loan to pay for the property.
Another resident told the minister that he was 31 years old and had been living at the location since he was six and would like either access to services such as potable water and electricity so that the area can be developed, or a house lot so that he can build somewhere else.
“The previous administration moved people from along Lamaha Street and gave them land for $1. We don’t have to get that, we’ll take anything that’s better than this,” another resident said.
Adams-Yearwood, who visited in the company of junior Minister of Natural Resources Simona Broomes, explained that she could neither promise regularisation or house lots before a proper investigation by the CH&PA.
“I can’t say if we can regularise you. If we think about doing that, you are right next to the sewage and we have to take health and environmental issues into consideration,” she said, before adding that the only place where land might be available is on the East Coast Demerara.
Asked if they would be willing to relocate to that area, the residents responded with a resounding yes.
They were, therefore, advised to form a five-person committee to interact with the CH&PA Director for Community Development Gladwin Charles on relocation.
