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Illegal house lot buyers face penalties
Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, displays a number of reports of several house lots of Good Hope sold illegally.
People who have illegally purchased house lots have a chance of legally owning that piece of land, government announced yesterday.
According to Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, a system has been worked out that will entail a fine being paid…a fine that will be calculated on the present market value of the land in question.
The Minister made the disclosure yesterday during a press conference to announce the status of a field audit of various housing schemes around the country.
Warning that the Ministry will be publicly naming all the individuals involved in the illegal sale of house lots, Ali explained that following an assessment, a decision was taken to conduct the field audit to determine among other things, the level of occupancy on new house lots.
Diamond, Tuschen and all Region Six have so far been completed. The audit continues at Mon Repos, Good Hope, and Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara.
During the exercise, investigators found quite a number of vacant lots that had been acquired by people now living abroad, from the Housing Ministry.
Then there is the other story where many lots were illegally sold to persons by allottees that either were no longer interested in the land or wanted to make a quick buck.
Warning that the Ministry will have a zero tolerance policy regarding anyone who gets involved in the illegal sale of land, the Minister said that five wanted bulletins have been issued for persons who took money claiming that they were in a position to get land.
In addition to several employees who were fired for being illegally involved, there are others on whom the Ministry is keeping a close eye.
Then there is the role of lawyers, Commissioners of Oaths and Justices of Peace. According to the Minister, many of these officials have been making agreements that allow persons to illegally buy house lots.
This is illegal, the Minister said. Only the Ministry of Housing has the authority to transact these businesses.
On Wednesday, an Assistant Overseer of the Tuschen/Uitvlugt Neighborhood Democratic Council was arrested for taking $500,000 from a businessman for a house lot.
Reports prepared by investigators for the Good Hope, East Coast Demerara area, are now sitting on the Minister’s desk.
According to Ali, the Ministry will be publicly naming the JPs, Commissioner of Oaths and lawyers who make illegal agreements.
Under the Ministry’s regulations, new house lot owners cannot sell their land until 10 years have elapsed.
However, there have been several cases where legal documents are drawn up given buyers an “irrevocable power of attorney” to the land. The Ministry has in the past said that there is no such thing. According to Minister Ali, persons who have “bought” house lots under the illegal arrangements are now being given an opportunity to come in and “work out the issues”.
The new “owner” will more than likely be allowed to keep the house lot but will have to pay a fine which is calculated based on the present market value of the land.
Land prices, especially in the Grove/Diamond area, have risen tremendously.
The Minister acknowledged that the fine might be hefty since the market has since risen. However, he warned, not coming in can have repercussions, as there is no way around that.
“It just cannot continue,” he said. “It is a way of ensuring discipline in society.”
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