While assuring of her commitment to resolving issues of land ownership with squatters in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues on Friday appealed to residents to desist from taking plots that were not theirs.
She announced that her ministry is forging ahead with a plan to develop 2000 house lots in the community. This development in the housing sector, she noted, has the potential to solve the region’s housing needs as the authorities are in the process of developing 600 acres of land.
Rodrigues made this announcement during her visit to the community as she followed through with a promise made back in January during President Irfaan Ali’s outreach to Region 10. On Friday, she toured the area and pledged that all informal settlers will be regularised using an inter-agency approach.
The area is earmarked for additional housing development but according to Rodrigues, they must iron out issues with squatters before moving forward. During the visit it was observed that some portions of the lands occupied are the property of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC).
On this note, the Minister stated that beginning this week, her ministry will be working with the GLSC to find a feasible solution. She noted that in some cases they will work together to issue leases from GLSC to persons who are currently occupying the lands. “We will try to work to regularise the people who already occupy lands here but in some instances they will fall under the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission and be given leases,” the minister stated.
During the outreach, Rodrigues said that persons have complained that their property was not included in the inventory that was taken back in December and as such requested she visit the community and use her office to find a solution.
Within the past few months, persons have been moving into the community clearing portions of lands and erecting semi-permanent structures or constructing foundations for homes, a move they believe will advance their quest for land ownership.
“We knew we were bringing housing development and extending Amelia’s Ward but before we do this we have to regularise the area,” Rodrigues explained, noting that the GL&SC will today begin surveying and taking drone shots of the community to prevent new squatters from occupying lands in the area.
The Minister appealed to persons to desist from occupying lands illegally as their act will only compromise and hinder the housing development slated for the region.
“…there is no need to squat since we have taken office and we have been working to find housing solutions. In a very short time, we will be able to satisfy the housing need in every region of this country so there is no reason to be informally occupying lands,” Rodrigues argued.
She iterated that her Ministry has been taking a humanitarian approach when it comes to dealing with informal settlers but warned that it is not condoning the act.
“We are trying our best to have a soft approach but at the same time we don’t want to put a stamp of approval on an illegality. At the same time we have to develop housing schemes that look like communities and squatting, if it continues that will hamper our housing programme and goal to deliver aesthetically pleasing homes,” she stated.
During the visit, the Minister was also informed of persons “grabbing” portions of land that was cleared by others and claiming it to be theirs. In addressing this, she said that the authorities will have to deal with such situations on a case-by-case basis and find an amicable solution for the disputing parties.
