Probe launched over squatting at Caracas

Oct 24, 2018 News

A section of Caracas in East Berbice that the squatters are illegally occupying.

A probe has been launched by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission in Region Six into the issue of persons squatting on leased and owned lands in the area of Caracas, East Berbice. This is according to Regional Chairman David Armogan.
Armogan stated that the region was made aware of the situation that developed approximately two weeks ago, where it was highlighted that persons have taken it upon themselves to occupy plots of lands that are in fact owned or leased to other individuals. He added that the unlawful residents are claiming that someone from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission instructed them to occupy the acreages.
”From the reports we have, they said the lands and surveys department in New Amsterdam went there and advised the people. I have checked with the Lands and Surveys department in the region and the name that they call, some Persaud, there is no such person working there. The lands and survey department did not authorize and send anybody”.
A proprietor for a section of the plots told this publication that the area is a transported property from the 1960’s, when the current proprietors, inclusive of the Seths, Bristols, Kasims, Sukhdeos, Nandkumars and Bhookmohans.
Each proprietor is said to own 20 rods (330 ft.) of land, “The plan showing you that, also the transport showing how much acreage of land. Since then to now, they occupy part of the land. So now you have illegal squatters telling us some man from the region name Persaud telling them that they have state land at the back here. But there is no state land here, the state land is at another location in Vryheid, and that is by the mud flat area where GPL transmission line runs”.
However, the regional chairman divulged that since the matter was brought to their attention at the region, it must and will be investigated properly, while stressing that the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission in Region Six has made it clear that they will not allow squatting, whether it is state land or not.
Armogan asserted that such actions will not be tolerated, and there has to be some sort order within the region.
”We are not going to tolerate that kind of mischief, because there are people that own the lands and have transport for these lands, and leases for the properties, and we are going to protect those people and ask the police to protect those people and make sure people don’t squat.’’
According to the proprietor, the land previously was faced with flooding, and people then did not occupy it, but since there was some recent development with the sluice in the area, the flooding has ceased and persons opted to illegally squat.
”When the land use to flood, people weren’t coming here to live because the land was salt, and it could not be occupied. The flooding stopped a few months now, so now we want to do cash crop and plant coconut. These squatters been here for a couple months and we ask them to move, but no progress has been made. The police warned them, but the squatters never removed”.
Just last week one of the owners had ventured to the area in Caracas to execute some land preparation work when he was confronted by a squatter. The squatter was informed that he was occupying the spot illegally, and that he should remove, but this caused an argument and eventually the men ended up in a tussle. The squatter dealt a chop to the land owner’s hand. The matter was subsequently reported to the police at the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam.

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