PPP/C land policy was discriminatory

Oct 06, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,

While downtown recently, I observed a PPP/C poster, nailed on to a power post with the markings “OWN YOUR LAND”.
Editor, this is most disgusting and an insult for what it conveys to those thousands of Guyanese, a reported 25000,whose applications for house lots, date back as far as the 90s, and which had been inherited by the APNU+AFC coalition government.
In fact, there are no lands available in Region Four, for distribution to would- be home builders. However, with the help of the Guyana Lands & Surveys Commission, lands are being sought to continue government’s programme of housing Guyanese. Recently, government distributed in excess of 700 house lots to residents of Region Three, one of the many geographic spaces where there is an urgent demand, compliments of the PPP/C policy of selling multi acreages to its friends and cronies. This, without any debate was for the purpose of the latter clique to ‘make a killing’, by building homes for sale to the rich. This meant big money from the nouveau riche; the people with affordable dough.
First, the PPP was charging re-migrants $40,000US ($8M GYD) for a plot of land 100 ft by 80 ft. Meanwhile Jagdeo got 2.2 acres of prime seaside land for a mere $5.5M GYD. The low income housing project was designed purposefully to deny the targeted population from acquiring lands and owning homes.
Second, after the 2015 elections it was discovered that over 23,000 housing applications sat unprocessed dating back almost the 23 years the PPP were in government.
Third, schemes like La Parfait Harmonie, Bare Root and Eccles New Housing Schemes people were sold lands without the proper utilities and roads installed. Meanwhile the current PPP presidential candidate insured that millions of taxpayers’ money was used to properly drain Plantation Sparendam (aka Pradoville II), that the utilities were installed, and the roads were properly laid for Jagdeo and other top level PPP supporters.
Fourth, while the PPP made sure their sycophants and supporters had access to land, new squatting areas sprung up around the country. Such places include Angoy’s Avenue, one of the largest squatting areas in Guyana; Phase 1 & 2 East La Penitence Squatting areas; Northeast La Penitence Squatting Area;North Ruimveldt Squatting Area; Princess Street Koker Squatting Area
Plastic Bag City on the West Coast of Demerara near the Atlantic
Container City behind the old Giftland Store in Tiger Bay.
Meanwhile Tiger Bay, Lombard Street, Upper Punt Trench Dam, all remained neglected neighbourhoods during the 23 years of PPP rule.
Some weeks ago, a shameless apologist, and defender of the PPP/C, in addition to being one of its trenchant spin doctors, wrote a letter – he is vying for a place alongside Ananias and Sapphira – in which he accused the coalition government of creating a “feudal system”. One only has to examine his party’s distribution of land, such as Bharrat Jagdeo’s, reported in the Kaieteur News as giving 20 acres to his puppet. Add the underpricing of the Pradoville lands, and the selling/gifting of hundreds of acres to the well-to-do, and the mansions that have been built. Thus, Editor, we clearly understand how the “feudal system” which this incorrigible liar mentioned, had been created, and by whom.
The cardinal focus of any government that embarks on such a programme as providing land for housing, is ensuring that the working class sections of the particular society are given purchasing opportunities that are in keeping with their means. Also, the fact that the government had initiated a lands commission of inquiry is to unravel, and correct some shocking distribution of ancestral lands, especially, and other unfair practices that took place during the PPP/C regime.
Thus, its poster is not only bold for its contradiction; and brazenness of intention to woo voters, but one which stands in conviction of a party that had not been genuine in its land policy towards ALL Guyanese. Instead, it pursued a wholly partisan and discriminatory land distribution policy. The government outreaches, continues to expose this injustice to the people, and therefore gives a lie to the PPP/C poster, which continues to mislead the people.
Regards
Earl Hamilton

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