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In light of squatting spree…”We will not relocate anyone without viable alternative”
– CH&PA announces
Without proper provisions in place, no squatters will be removed. This was the message that was sent by the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul.
Saul addressed the issue of squatters at the Ministry of Communities’ conference that was recently convened.
He said that the organisation is yet to develop a location for the squatters in Sophia, Georgetown. As such, he pointed out that Cummings Lodge is a location that is being ‘eyed’.
“Even though they have been served with notices we will not be moving against them,” Saul asserted.
He sought to remind that there are persons in Timehri who are still close to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport who are yet to be relocated, while there are several who will be regularised.
Also, as informed by the CEO, there are quite a few persons in Middle Road, Georgetown that are to be relocated. However, the majority of persons in this area will be regularised, according to Saul.
It was further made known that CH&PA will be meeting with City Hall to identify the engineering reserve along the canal passage in that area. Saul was advised by the Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green, that there are just about three homes within the zone that requires relocation.
In early October last year, the organisation conducted a demolition campaign in Sophia, where 21 illegal structures in ‘A’ Field were removed.
The homes and business places that were demolished were occupied by people who paid no heed to the notices that were issued to them, some one week prior to the demolition exercise.
Kaieteur News understands that the decision taken was not only over the fact that the lands squatted on are government reserves, but due to the alarming rate of violence and crime in the community.
Leader of the Selective Group of Sophia, Brian Sobers, said the myth about Sophia being a breeding ground for criminals happens to be only one of the few things that the CH&PA intends to change with the demolition of the illegal homes.
A document displayed that there were some 1200 squatters in the area that needed to be removed.
Following the demolition exercise, Minister within the Ministry of Communities Valerie Adams- Patterson-Yearwood yesterday announced that Sophia squatters will have until January 2018 to make the necessary arrangements to be relocated from the area.
Chief Executive Officer, Central Planning and Housing Authority, Lelon Saul
Patterson noted that as a result of the demolition exercise in Sections ‘A’ and ‘B’, Pattensen, Turkeyen (Sophia) on October 12, a number of persons have been engaging CH&PA requesting extra time to move.
She said that the government has since granted the extension, but this was after over 200 notices were given to squatters of Sophia. Minister Patterson believes that the January deadline is sufficient time for them to relocate, since many of squatters already have house lots.
The CH&PA was offering house lots to those persons who can afford to build.
For those unable to construct a dwelling, the government is seeking funding to build core homes. The Industry community was identified as the area where the homes will be constructed.
Minister Patterson-Yearwood explained, “We don’t just want to give them a house lot, because we know if they can’t afford to build, they are going to put a shack, and all we are doing is moving one shanty town from one area to another. That is not what we want, as we relocate, we are going to upgrade.”
She reminded that the exercise will be a costly one and persons must be patient.
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