The Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) issued a strongly-worded public notice yesterday urging citizens, owners and operators of businesses to “desist from erecting or placing structures, stationary or mobile, along thoroughfares and main access roads, and more specifically areas identified for infrastructural development.”
According to the notice, MoPW has observed a worrying new trend where persons are hurriedly erecting structures for business purposes or otherwise, in areas that have been publicly advertised as earmarked for development.
As such it is warning persons to desist from this practice, and further reminded that it is illegal to build or place structures on a government reserve, or along highways and main access roads, the latter two being obstructions to flowing traffic. Such actions, the notice informed, contravene Section 29 of the Road Act 51:01 of the Laws of Guyana which states: “Any property obstructing or damaging a road or canal may be seized and removed by the road’s officer of the district, or by anyone by him thereto authorised in writing.”
What was made clear was the position that the government will not tolerate anyone hurriedly occupying the aforementioned spaces in the hope of garnering compensation.
“We cannot in all consciousness allow persons to break the law and reward them for it. The PPP/C Government is ensuring the development of every sector for the benefit of all Guyanese, through our housing drive every category of worker is accommodated, squatters are being regularized, and businesses are given support for development, but due process must be followed, laws must be followed, we must not stand in the way of our own development, there is no need to try to trick the system,” Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill stated.
According to MoPW, some of the areas publicly announced for intended infrastructural development are: the East Coast Demerara Railway Embankment Road into a four-lane highway from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau, and continuing to the Mahaica River Bridge; the East Coast-East Bank road linkage from Ogle to Eccles; and the East Bank Highway from Grove to Timehri.
“We are in the process of clearing these spaces, in some cases work has advanced a great deal, and we are monitoring the process, and if persons continue with these illegal practices, we will do what is necessary within the law,” the Minister added
The notice reiterated that “there must be no obstruction on or along the roadway and on government reserves,” and anyone found to be in contravention will be dealt with “condignly.”
It added that the Ministry, and by extension the Government of Guyana, is therefore urging the cooperation of citizens as well as their support on this matter.
Anyone wishing to identify such breaches can contact the Ministry of Public Works via its Facebook Page, e-mail at pr_dept@mopw.gov.gy or telephone number (592) 227-0799.
