Squatting is illegal and comes with known consequences including the reality of structures being demolished by landowners, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, stated in a Department of Public Information (DPI) release yesterday.
The minister was referring in this instance, to what he termed, the continued problem of persons squatting on privately owned or state-owned lands along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. He made it clear that squatting was illegal and as such government cannot provide amenities noting that those who decide to squat on private or state lands must acknowledge the inherent limitations and challenges of such actions. “Squatting is illegal, and therefore squatters cannot reasonably expect the government to provide infrastructure and services in areas that were never formally or officially designated for residential use.”
He added, “The decision to unlawfully occupy land comes with known consequences, including insufficient or non-existent basic infrastructure such as potable water and sanitation facilities, and the stark reality of structures being demolished by landowners.”
McCoy iterated that the administration has consistently highlighted the “deplorable” nature of squatting along the highway and has addressed these issues through several strategic initiatives through state agencies like the Ministry of Housing and Water, and Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. Further, it has developed official housing schemes that provide safe, legal, and well-serviced living conditions for our citizens, and where feasible, has undertaken efforts regularise certain settlements to bring them up to standard with the necessary amenities and infrastructure. And for those squatters residing in particularly hazardous or unsuitable areas, relocation programmes have been initiated to move individuals and families to safer, more suitable locations that have established facilities and services.
As such, given the efforts of the government to improve the lot of squatters, McCoy opined that “it is profoundly disingenuous for opposition elements to ingratiate themselves with squatters who occupy privately-owned lands and then seek to shift blame onto the government for the resultant living conditions. Such actions are a transparent attempt to manipulate the vulnerable for political gain, and we categorically reject these baseless accusations.”
To bolster his contention, he pointed to the recent actions of former Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, who, “in a calculated and deceitful move,” sought to exploit the plight of squatters at Kuru Kururu along the highway by deliberately misrepresenting the situation concerning the residents occupying land privately owned by the estate of Dr Charles.
A similar situation, he said, occurred at Sarah Johanna where the AFC’s Sherod Duncan sought to exploit a group of squatters who occupied private land acquired by the current landlord in 2019, during the tenure of the APNU+AFC government. McCoy criticised the APNU+AFC administration for doing nothing to assist them with relocation, despite their pre-existing conditions, knowing full well that the land was privately acquired.
As far as McCoy is concerned, it is hypocritical for the opposition to now criticise the PPP/C government while they failed to establish a proper housing programme during their tenure to provide adequate housing for Guyanese.
“The government remains resolute in its commitment to addressing the issues of squatting and ensuring that all citizens have access to dignified living conditions. However, this must be done within the framework of legality and sustainability. We call on all responsible citizens to engage with the legal processes and support our efforts to provide safe, sustainable, and legally compliant housing solutions,” he added
The minister reaffirmed his government’s dedication to resolving the complex issue of squatting in a manner that is fair, lawful, and in the best interest of all Guyanese, the DPI added.
