Latest update January 6th, 2025 4:00 AM
Works Ministry to begin massive demolition exercise today
“Those who have not been given notices are advised to take this as the first and final notice to comply with the laws and remove all encroachments and derelicts from the public reserves”
The Ministry of Public Works will, beginning today, unleash a massive demolition exercise targeting illegal structures along with the removal of derelicts.
According to a public notification published in the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, the exercise will see the removal of all encroachments to the public reserve.
This and all other fences on Govt. reserve will, from today, be demolished
According to the Ministry the demolition exercise will target, but is not limited to buildings or portions of buildings, barbershops, mobile vending carts, small stands, fences, business signs, unauthorized concrete works on the parapet, derelict vehicles as well as construction materials and builders waste.
The Ministry warned that the demolition exercise will target the East Bank Demerara, Sheriff Street, Mandela Avenue, East Coast Demerara, West Coast and West Bank Demerara areas.
According to the Ministry, the demolition exercise will take effect “on all members of the public who are in violation of the laws of Guyana.”
The Ministry notes that “those who have been given notices are kindly asked to comply with the laws.”
According to the public notification, “those who have not been given notices are advised to take this as the first and final notice to comply with the laws and remove all encroachments and derelicts from the public reserves.”
The move by the Ministry comes in wake of the recent ‘notice of withdrawal’ by BM Soat Auto Sales, to no longer appeal the striking out of a conservatory order by the High Court.
That Order had up until recently prevented the Ministry of Public Works from demolishing a fence and two buildings which the auto dealer had erected at its Success, ECD location.
Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, had recently explained to media operatives that the Ministry had taken a decision to hold off on the demolition of the other structures until the finalization of the BM Soat court matter.
Benn had told media operatives that it was BM Soat alone that had challenged the move by the Ministry to demolish illegal structures along the East Coast of Demerara.
According to Benn all of the others had said they will comply with the Ministry’s decision.
At the time he had indicated that following discussions at the Ministry’s level, a decision was taken to have all of the illegal structures removed at the same time.
Another reason the Ministry did not move to demolish any of the other structures where persons had agreed to have their fences retired, was that Government wanted the court matter with BM Soat resolved first.
He said that this was done, given that if any other person would have sought to challenge the Ministry in Court then the BM Soat Court decision would be the key case to be used in its defence.
Bashair Mohamed, the owner of BM Soat, on Monday last withdrew all actions on his part in the court with respect to his occupation of public land.
Through his lawyer, Khemraj Ramjattan, a “Notice of Withdrawal and Discontinuation” was filed in the Court of Appeal.
The Ministry has since said that the decision by Mohamed to withdraw the action, confirms that it was correct in its move to remove the illegal structures, which included the fence.
The Ministry’s position has always been that the erected fence, which was at the center of the legal wrangle, had to be removed in accordance with the 1973 property boundary line.
The Ministry at the time held the view that BM Soat’s then intransigent position in the matter, severely delayed the much needed road widening works for up to two years and placed an enormous burden on taxpayers.
Public Works Minister had told media operatives that as much as $40M was lost as a result of the delays.
“It is hoped that the turnaround in Mohamed’s attitude will be an object lesson for all those who are illegally occupying Government lands…Guyana’s development cannot be held hostage for the selfish interest of a select few,” according to the Ministry.
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