Dear Editor,
Within the past few weeks, the Guyana Lands & Surveys Commission (GL&SC) has been in the news over issuance of state lands. Firstly, on Facebook, there were articles reporting of lands being issued in Region #9 to wealthy coastlanders who purportedly have close alliances to senior officials of the government. Then, very recently, there was another issue where the AFC leader applied for state lands over 5 years ago but has not yet received his lease. As a “small” man who applied for a parcel of state land over 4 years ago but have not yet received any further update from GL&SC, I can’t help but enquire about what really is the procedure for issuance of state lands? How is it that persons purportedly close to senior government officials can get approval for their leases so quickly while the small man like myself and opposition politicians have to wait so long? Is the process of state land applications politically compromised?
When one walks into the GL&SC office in Lethem there is a poster showing the process of application for state lands. On this chart it clearly states that the entire process takes about 3 months. Yet, there are many who have been waiting for years with no information on their application. And then there are others who have seemingly acquired their lands in a much quicker period.
GL&SC, unlike other state agencies dealing with land allocation, like GGMC and GFC, is rarely in the news over the process of its issuance of state lands. This needs to urgently change since it seems as though there are differing standards for different applicants. This may be an altogether incorrect interpretation but when one reads about a set of favoured applicants getting their leases while others are waiting for many years, then one can’t help but wonder. Also, isn’t there a parliamentary committee on natural resources? Do these committee members go out there and try to get firsthand information on issues affecting this sector? Can’t this committee do more to get plausible answers from GL&SC on how their land application process operates? Members of this committee need to go on a nationwide tour to get a firsthand feel of how applications for leases are being dealt with.
Now that GL&SC is in the limelight the time is right for them to issue some public missives on their application process. It would help dispel the notion that they are favourable to certain types of applicants while withholding leases from others. Hold public outreaches like so many other government agencies do. Go into outlying areas, like the Rupununi, and hold public sessions to give residents an update on their applications. Explain why your poster states that the entire process from application to issuance of lease takes 3 months yet residents have been waiting for years. And do not tell the public that you have local offices where they can visit for updates because these offices have very little to update when you visit there. The common response is that “the application was forwarded to head office and we are awaiting a response from them”.
Finally, is the application process free from possible interference by politicians or those within the GL&SC structure? A certified ISO process is one way to remove such interference. Does GL&SC operate under such standards? And if indeed there is such a standard, where in that process does an application get held up for many years? Our president is on record urging citizens to invest and help to create economic opportunities for themselves. But this becomes extremely difficult when the small man cannot easily access the most vital resource – land. Here’s hoping His Excellency takes the lead and mandates GL&SC to start providing answers and also ensure that the process within that organisation works with fairness and equality for all.
Sincerely,
(Name and Address Provided)
