Angoy’s Avenue residents finally receive land titles after waiting decades

Aug 02, 2019 News

After waiting for decades, residents of the Angoy’s Avenue area are now happy. This is because they are now the legal owners of the lands on which they are living. Some 209 families received titles to the land for which some say they were living for over seven decades.

Minister of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson, presents one of the residents with her title.

The ceremony was held at the Berbice Educational Institute (BEI), where scores were in attendance. The more than 200 instruments of ownership were handed out by Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon and Minister of Communities, with responsibility for Housing, Hon. Annette Ferguson.
With a staggering population of 7,000, Angoy’s Avenue has been evolving from a squatting community and has been on the road to regularisation.
Under the New Haven Co-op Society, residents had sought the government’s assistance for the development of the area. However, moves toward regularisation were stymied by an injunction against the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).
Underscoring the importance of Emancipation and land ownership, Harmon reminded that freed slaves pooled their monies to purchase lands. This, he said, speaks volumes about the importance of land ownership.
“Today is the manifestation of giving you the legal ownership to these lands on which you have been living and investing your hard earned cash to developed,” he told the audience.
He said under His Excellency, President David Granger, your freedom is guaranteed under Guyana’s Constitution. That freedom is protected and cherished by this government.
Minister Ferguson said the administration will continue on this path until its housing objectives are realised.
“Article 26 of our Constitution speaks to the issue of suitable housing. Our people must be afforded adequate housing accommodation,” she said.
She emphasised that the goal remains to provide service lots, access to electricity and water.
Other families are expected to be granted their land titles soon.