An occupation survey of Sarah Johanna on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) will be undertaken as the government tries to quell a dispute that has arisen between squatters and the person who is claiming ownership of the lands.
On Friday afternoon, a government team comprising Attorney General, Anil Nandlall; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues; Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy and representatives of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC) visited Sarah Johanna to address the issues in contention.
Last Wednesday, the protesters and others picketed over what they said were plans by the person claiming ownership of the land to evict them.
During the meeting on Friday, the residents raised issues that they have had with Rafeik Baksh of New York who claims ownership of the land. The man holding the power of attorney for Baksh, Abdool Azim, showed the Attorney General the transport that he has for the lands that he wants the squatters removed from.
According to the Attorney General, he made a visit as he and the government are concerned about the well-being of the residents. He urged the residents to be patient and said that there are many options that can be pursued.
“If it is that we have to go and ask the government to pay the man compensation so you can get a house lot then we may have to do that until the government relocates you somewhere in a proper housing scheme”, Nandlall said.
The government ironically is now in a confrontation with squatters on state land at Success where efforts are being made to remove them by flooding the area. Talks have also been opened with the Success squatters on applications for house lots.
Nandlall went on to ask those present on Friday at Sarah Johanna to agree to not build any other structures on the land until the issue is settled. As such, they agreed that the team from the GL&SC will look at the documents for the land in the possession of Azim and verify the extent of Baksh’s ownership. They also agreed that an “occupation survey” of the residents in the area will be done.
“Thirdly, me and this gentleman (Azim) will have a meeting and we will decide … the way forward for you in terms of the land, if it is that he’s going to sell it what’s the purchase price and so on”, the Attorney General said. As a result all sides agreed that until that meeting comes to a conclusion and until the government officials are able to meet with the residents on a way forward, any actions to remove the squatters should be ceased.
Meanwhile, Minister Rodrigues told Stabroek News that she only became aware of the situation recently and as a result travelled to the area with a team from the Central Housing and Planning Authority.
“In the event the persons are squatting on private lands we want to make sure we look out for our citizens and we have provided them a second option, we brought application forms and we took down the names of those who have already applied in the past and were not able to access a house lot”, Rodrigues said.
Back-up plan
She added that it was a back-up plan so that that they would be able to facilitate the residents and possibly assist in relocating them. For the period of time her team was there, only about two or three persons came forward and said that they had applied for house lots before but did not get through. Rodrigues told this newspaper that most of the persons that were there on Friday, approximately 35, are now applying for house lots for the first time. The ministerial team is expected to visit the area again with a plan for the way forward within the next two weeks.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Azim showed a transport for the land in the name of Dabi Dial whose brother Patrick Prabhu Dial held the Power of Attorney. The transport was subsequently made out to Baksh.
Azim provided documents showing that Baksh was granted permission by the Caledonia-Good Success Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in relation to “lots RB2 and RB3 Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara to execute works on Sarah Johanna north dam on the northern or southern corner of the reserve (embankment) for the installation of artisan water pipes from the public road” to the lots. The permission letter dated February 4th, 2020 was signed by chairman of the NDC, Dwarka Nauth.
Azim has since refuted claims by residents of the bulldozing of anyone’s farm or dwelling. The man explained that last year when he took workers with chainsaws they cut down what used to be a wooded area. No farm was affected as alleged by the squatters. On his return this year, he explained that on the days the excavator was doing work for the installation of the water pipes, the squatters decided to lie on the ground in the path of the excavator thus preventing any further work.
The man said he promised several of the persons living there at the time that he would give them land measuring 220 feet by 37 feet that they could share. Azim made it clear that he is not giving anyone house lots but is giving them a spot to live on. The land he said will cater for six or more houses adding that he even promised to use seven feet of the thirty-seven feet and create a walkway for them.
“I told them, listen, I don’t want to go to this extent, and I don’t want a confrontation, if y’all move peacefully, we can get on in life,” Azim said.
Purchase
He recalled that when he first met with residents last year, several persons asked whether he was willing to purchase their houses at the price of $800,000 and $400,000 and he told them that he wasn’t interested in doing so after which he offered them the plot of land to live on. At the time of his first visit, Azim said, he only noticed six houses plus a piece of land which had uprights going up. The man said since then, a number of other persons including the children of some of these original squatters have squatted on other lands.
According to Azim, last year when the road was constructed, no one was making an issue and they were happy about the road. He said that he left a load of loam for the making of the road which when he returned had been used by squatters to fill up their yards.
Following that, on October 29th, notices were given by the NDC for persons to dismantle and remove any illegal structures within 14 days; this notice was also signed by NDC chairman, Nauth. However, on November 4th, this notice was withdrawn. Azim was not aware of the reason for this.
The man pointed out that since the area is not regularised there are no legal water or electricity connections. He stated that all the wires that are seen in the area providing lights are all illegal connections.
One of the squatters, Shauchel Giles on Thursday said that Azim had again sent workers to continue digging along the dam to put in the pipelines but villagers again had a standoff with them, preventing them from continuing any work. Giles alleged that the men were looking to dig the land which another resident, Semoon Tsoi was farming on for almost a decade now. Tsoi who spoke with Stabroek News on Wednesday said that she received a plot of land to farm from resident Kenneth Samaroo. Samaroo who also spoke with this newspaper on Wednesday said that he purchased four acres of land some of which he would have distributed to a number of residents for farming. The man said that he purchased his four acres during the Burnham government. He said that he paid $20 per acre.
Giles said she spoke with Azim on Thursday when he arrived in the community with a number of police officers before returning again later that day with five more officers. She said she spoke to the man who said he is willing to provide part of “his” land that will cater for nine households but everyone else will have to leave. The woman argued that the land the man is saying he will provide per each household is smaller than the regular house lots. According to the Central Housing and Planning Authority, a low income house lot measures 80×40 feet.
After Azim, the officers and workers had left, Giles said that two female officers arrived and inquired from Tsoi whether she had a transport for the land she was farming on to which she replied in the negative. The policewomen then left.
Giles plans to visit the Lands and Survey Department as well as the Deeds and Commercial Registries today.
Residents on Wednesday protested in their numbers claiming that they were squatting on lands for several decades and should not be removed.
