Dear Editor,
I saw an article in the Stabroek News on March 25, 2025, titled ‘Gov’t meets persons likely to be affected by gas to energy transmission lines’. The article stated, ‘Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC yesterday said that the government had met with a number of persons whose proprietary interests are likely to be affected by the corridor earmarked for the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) transmission lines from the Gas to Shore Generating Facility and the new East Bank Demerara Highway (Diamond to Soesdyke)’. This engagement was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. What was alarming about this article is that Stabroek News reported that the information was taken from a post on the Attorney General’s Facebook page. Firstly, was Stabroek News and other news agency not invited to this meeting? Secondly, several people have contacted me, having read the article in the Stabroek News to find out if I was aware of the meeting, I was not. I also enquired from residents on the East Bank of Demerara and nobody who I contacted knew about the meeting. The AG needs to organize meaningful consultations with the residents who will be affected.
The article further stated that the Attorney General (AG) said that ‘“Every person is free to retain a lawyer of their choice and if they cannot afford to do so, the State will provide one for them. Similarly, every person has a right to a valuation officer of their choice to advise them in the process. Every effort will be made to minimize the acquisition of private property”’. Now, Editor, a number of issues have arisen from the Attorney General’s note on the event on his Facebook page. On the point of “Every effort will be made to minimize the acquisition of private property”, we need clarification from the Attorney General. It is rumored that the government is building the new East Bank Public Road, and they intend to or are mulling to take 600 feet of land, I think 300 feet on both sides of the road. Now, why would the government require 600 feet of land for the road? In my view, if this is accurate, this is the government essentially intending to take the prime lands flanking the new public road. The question is, for what purpose? I think that according to the ‘law’ it is 100 feet that is required, I stand corrected. Does the government intend to take prime front lands from landowners on the East Bank? If this is accurate, I have some serious issues with this approach.
It is a good thing for the government to build new roads and open up lands, we appreciate this very much. Particularly, now that Guyana has lots of oil money, this is possible today more than any other time in Guyana. What I disagree with is the government using these road expansions for wealth creation for the rich and wealthy to access the prime front lands by new roadways by using the amended Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes Act for acquiring these private lands under the pretext that they are being acquired for public purposes. The Attorney General stated that ‘every effort will be made to minimize the acquisition of private property’. The AG must be more specific in this consultation stage. What does minimum acquisition mean; 100 ft, 300 feet, 600 feet, one acre, or other? If it is 300 or 600 feet, why does the government need 300 – 600 feet to build a roadway, place utility poles and water mains, etc.? I also learnt that the government wants to purchase land from private landowners during this road building process. To the landowners on the East Bank Demerara, my advice is to let the government have the 100 feet and build the new public road, install power lines, water mains, etc., then the value of your property will increase; and then sell to the government additional lands, if they are so interested, providing that landowners want to sell, but do not be forced by the government to sell acres of your lands before the new road is built.
I think that the government is really missing an opportunity to develop and implement a poverty reduction programme that will accelerate the movement of large groups of Guyanese into the middle class. These new roadways will significantly increase the value of and create the opportunity for landowners to create and capture more value from their lands. Can you imagine the government; this government or another government’s poverty reduction transition over five or ten years? My vision is to see poverty eliminated in Guyana by 2035 and this is possible if the government has a strategic, structure and fair programme to assist landowners to use their lands to move out of poverty into the middle class. The Attorney General also seems to be ‘battle ready’, even before meaningful consultation, he is saying every person is free to retain a lawyer and a valuation officer. This I find interesting; how much land is required for these roads? Or should I ask how many acres of land is required by the government for the new East Bank Public Road? Does the AG know something that we don’t? Residents on the East Bank must not be forced to sell the government their lands or give up more than is required for the new road and utilities, etc. We look forward to meaningful consultations on this matter with the Attorney General and the relevant agencies.
It is my view that the government should focus on the 100 feet or so that is required for constructing the road and utilities. It should be noted that Supply to Soesdyke is within my constituency and my neighbourhood.
Sincerely,
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
