Developer acquires land aback of Chinese Embassy, squatters face eviction

Nov 28, 2012 News

Twenty-six (26) families squatting on a portion of land behind the Chinese Embassy on Mandela Avenue will have to remove to facilitate expansion by a Chinese developer.
The developer has already started to clear the land and the squatters were reportedly given up to mid next year to relocate.
But while the squatters are not objecting to the removal notice, they are imploring the Ministry of Housing to fast track their house lot applications so that they can exist comfortably.

An excavator clears the land around the shacks aback of the Chinese Embassy.

The area in question was once occupied by the late president Forbes Burnham and his wife was administering it up to the time of her death on October 10, 2003.
A part of it was subsequently used for the construction of the Chinese Embassy.
The squatters, some of whom have been on the land for more than 20 years, informed this newspaper that they were permitted to erect small dwellings on the land by the former first lady.
Kaieteur News was told that a Chinese developer had acquired the land, some five years ago, however clearing only started last week.
One resident said that she had contacted the Ministry of Housing to ascertain if the Chinese developer really owned the land.
The resident said that an official at the Ministry told her that the land is administered by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Department and that agency will have the answer to her query. However other residents claimed that officials from a government agency had visited the area and told them that they had to vacate the land.
When this newspaper visited the area yesterday, an excavator was clearing portions of the land while some residents appeared confused.
One woman who has been living in one of the shacks for the past six months had already packed up her belongings and was preparing to move out.
The residents claimed that they have no problem with the developer, who they said has been very considerate, even promising to assist them financially to relocate.