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Ministry threatens squatters with prosecution
The Government of Guyana is assuring Guyanese that everyone will have fair and equitable access to lands. Interested persons are advised to apply to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) for house lots.
The signboard aback of the Diamond Housing Scheme.
The assurance comes in the wake of attempts at widespread squatting on Government lands in several areas along the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara and the West Coast of Berbice.
A statement from the Ministry of Communities (formerly the Local Government Ministry) said that it has been observed that persons in large groups have been demarcating vacant lands from Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara to Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, for the purpose of squatting under the pretext that President David Granger instructed same.
The Ministry said that squatting is an illegal act that would not be condoned by the government.
The Central Housing and Planning Authority declared that lands squatted on after January 1, 1998 would not be regularized. Persons attempting to occupy those lands would not have the opportunity to legally own them. In addition, they may be liable for prosecution under the relevant Act.
According to reports, persons began demarcating plots on May 15, 2015, one day before President David Granger was sworn in as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
And, over the weekend of May 16 and May 17, 2015, the systematic land grabbing activities intensified.
Aback of Diamond Housing Scheme, where there is empty land, has been the most sought area for land grabbers.
The CH&PA has since placed a sign board on the open space notifying the public that trespassers will be prosecuted.
Land grabbers have also targeted Government reserves, leased lands and plots earmarked for playgrounds and schools.
The targeted areas include Sophia, Le Ressouvenir, Mon Repos, Enmore, Haslington, Nabaclis, Hope Experiment and Bush Lot.
The Ministry said that officers of CH&PA will be closely monitoring these areas to ensure persons do not unlawfully occupy the lands.
The government is urging persons not to be misled into committing unlawful acts, since Guyanese will be given fair and equitable access to land under Government’s land distribution policy.
The CH&PA is therefore requesting that persons desist from squatting and have patience as Government implements its policy.
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