By Shuntel Glasgow
Squatters at Cane View/Herstelling (Mocha), who have been given a final grace period of two weeks by the Ministry of Housing to move, say they are not satisfied with the offer to them and they won’t be able to undertake any commercial activity where they are to be relocated.
Those living in the area known as Pepper Field have been accused by the Ministry of impeding plans for the Eccles to Great Diamond Four-Lane Highway on the East Bank Demerara.
Stabroek News yesterday visited the squatting area and was told that some residents have been living there for approximately 30 years and others for 15 years. Most of the residents occupying the area are engaged in commercial activities like cattle rearing, farming and running beverage shops.
They explained that last September, the Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal held a meeting in the area and informed them about a road that was to be built and which is currently under construction. However, the residents said that during the meeting they were asked to have their houses repositioned to face the road that is currently under construction. Last year they were told that the road would commence soon and that was the last meeting they had after being promised by the minister that there would be several other meetings to update them on the project. Currently there are 14 families living on the land and approximately 30 children. A final two-week notice to the residents was placed by the ministry in the October 9th Sunday Stabroek.
One resident yesterday related: “they say they would make everybody here comfortable and would compensate and make everybody satisfied and everything, somebody come and do a valuation but them valuation can’t pay people. Them ain’t coming to tell people nothing and we ain’t receive no notice”.
The resident added: “I’m living here for 30 years since before Herstelling get developed, when we live here Herstelling was cane field. If that road in the making long why they didn’t consider we and take piece from Herstelling. Now the house lot that they offering we deh say that you can’t do commercial business there. My cows is what I Iive on I can’t sell out me things them.”
Another resident said, “in case like we wah get cattle and so the is wah we does depend on. We does depend on we business for we life, now yuh putting we some way and telling we, we can’t mind we cattle the is wah them saying. I ask the minister more than one time and he seh we can’t do commercial business on the land. I gah like 60 something cow now, whey them putting yuh, yuh can’t do no business yuh know and this is the business me doing for years”.
The resident was adamant about moving without assurances.
“I ain’t moving and go nowhere that I can’t live comfortable and move on with me daily life. Them ain’t even ask we where we would like to go an live, them ain’t come up with nothing like da them just choose two playfield, a playfield at Farm and one at Herstelling and the is way they choose fuh we. Then the minister them say before we move or anybody move, yuh transport and suh gon deh in yuh hand. Nothing like the na happen yet. Persons that move already them tell them that even though them ain’t get the transport them gon get it in six months time. More than six months done pass since them people move and them ain’t get transport. Them is just come to break down place but them don’t come to talk to we.’’
Another resident, Joyann Ellis said, “… them big, big house hay didn’t went hay. Them turn and tell people in a meeting (to) build strong foundation and face the house fuh suh (the road under construction) cause a road gon pass there. The first meeting them keep them say them got several more meeting to keep them never come back. All them doing is calling people on them phone and telling them to come in, we want go as a group dem ain’t want that.”
Another resident, Anita said, “if people didn’t get permission to build nobody wasn’t going to build they say don’t build at the back. If we do have to move this government is not compensating us properly. The amount they offering it cannot build back what we have here in today crisis. The compensation it’s not enough to build back. It’s more to what they are saying in the papers and so. To the time they come and survey this land to now it’s double the amount because cost of living is high.”
Esan Haynes said, “I want know how them coming to bulldoze me place. It nah guh so. I willing to move but under what condition. Low income house is nine million dollar and all them thing dah and them want give me six million dollar. Since September last year Collin Croal come and say we gon go Farm … from since then he never come back, never come back to we. I getting fed up right now I frustrated, I losing faith.”
On October 9th, the ministry accused seven families of squatters of impeding plans for highway and gave them a final grace period of two weeks to vacate the area.
In a full-page advertisement the Sunday Stabroek, the ministry said ‘We call on residents to put personal and political agendas aside and see the development vision the Government is working towards. The Government of Guyana remains committed to working with the squatters, as we work towards the provision of housing solutions for all”.
It outlined a series of efforts made to regularise the area and relocate families to new zones but said that “persons continue to use this sensitive matter as a political football, much to the disadvantage of those involved in this illegal activity”.
The ministry said that to date, $250m has been disbursed as compensation for families that have moved and $5.1m was given as compensation for crops.
The advertisement said that 20 families have relocated from the Block `X’ Portion, Plantation Herstelling and accepted compensation while the seven remaining families “continue to be defiant and making unreasonable demands”.
The ministry said that their actions have resulted in the stalling of a massive development project.
The ministry provided a sequence of interventions stretching as far back as May 2008 when there was an engagement with Mocha residents. The process recommenced in earnest in September 2021 when land was identified for those who were prepared to relocate. In December 2021 house lots were allocated to the beneficiaries and cheques equivalent to the current market value for properties, site improvement and displacement costs were handed over to squatters.
This year, the Central Housing and Planning Authority also facilitated the application process to the Guyana Water Inc and the Guyana Power and Light for services in the areas to where the squatters were relocated. Of the remaining 15 families, the ministry said that eight are at varying stages of relocation while seven remain non-compliant.
