Black Bush residents protest house lots allocated on community playground

Feb 10, 2017 News

A two-decade old issue at Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, has again reared its head with residents now protesting the allocation of house lots on a community playground.

Black Bush Polder residents want Government to immediately cancel permissions for house lots on community ground.

The matter is now engaging the authorities with several letters written to government and opposition officials.
Last week, a resident from Black Bush who received a house lot deposited a house on the edge of the ground which has over the years been a popular spot for cricket and other activities for the farming community.
According to Motiechand Lalu, Chairman for the Yakusari Carib Cricket Club, residents of Black Bush Polder want an immediate halt to leasehold titles for inside the community playground.
The issue has been simmering for two decades now.
It was explained that the community ground was never regularized but had remained in the records of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council as one for house lots.
However, residents, as far back to the 70s, had been utilizing the land as a community ground.
It was the unspoken agreement that it would remain a community area for the Black Bush Polder folks.
However, in the mid-2000s, allocations for a few persons were made by a regional official. That person has since left the job, accused of wrongdoings.

The house that was left on the community ground last week.

Residents learnt that at least three persons were granted house lots on the ground, which currently has a pavilion and was once fenced.
“All our lives we know this ground as one where we played cricket and did other things. We will have no other place to go now if they move ahead with plans to convert the area to house lots. We will have nowhere to play cricket,” Lalu explained.
A number of residents were vocal in the objections to the house on the land. An area had been cleared to allow access for the house to be taken on to the field.
According to Lalu, residents had raised the matter with former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Last week, President David Granger was written to.
The matter has also been raised with the current NDC, Regional Chairman, David Armogan, and Gobin Harbhajan, the Prime Minister’s representative in East Berbice.
Yesterday, Harbhajan said that a group of upset residents visited his office last week and asked for assistance to resolve the matter.
“I have asked the residents to form themselves into a group and apply for it. I am aware that the NDC and Mr. Armogan are also looking into the matter.”

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