Tuschen, Paradise squatters urged to move

Sep 12, 2016 News

A number of squatters in Paradise, East Coast Demerara and Tuschen, West Coast Demerara were urged to discontinue squatting following a visit to the communities by Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams Patterson and officials of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) including members of its enforcement arms.
During the visit, the Minister and her team observed that a number of persons in the two communities who were warned against squatting on state reserves had again taken possession of the lands.
Earlier last week, representatives from the two communities had visited the minister to complain about the poor state of the road and bad drainage caused by persons living on the state reserves. Equipment used to carry our drainage and road works would usually use the reserves, but because of the presence of squatters, drainage work was held up.
“CH&PA had written them, telling them to stop squatting on the reserves. Some of them moved and have now moved back. That is defiant,” Minister Adams-Patterson noted. Further, she explained that a number of these persons were issued with house lots.

A squatter in Tuschen, West Coast Demerara.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment of offering an alternative solution to those who will be removed from the squatting area, the Minister said that these persons will either be issued a house lot or benefit from easy access to low-cost/affordable apartments or condominiums that the government will soon build. “We are going to give them first preference and we are going to make it affordable,” the Minister advised.
She further advised that the CH&PA will again write the persons who are squatting on the reserve. “If they do not want to move the hammer will fall,” she cautioned.
“We are going to warn them again, and if they do not move we are going to break the structures,” the Minister said, adding that, “I believe that you can only give people a chance if they are willing.” “We have to bring order to this country, and if bringing order means that we have to remove some of these people, then we have to.”

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