Great Diamond households to get land titles after three decades of squatting

Apr 23, 2021 News

Kaietuer News – After more than three decades of squatting, 65 households at Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), will soon to be in possession of their land titles. The move comes as the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) looks to regularise and hand out land titles to informal settlers in various areas across the country.

Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water

Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, made this announcement during a briefing at the Ministry’s Headquarters on Wednesday.
Alluding to squatters at Blocks ‘B’ and ‘C’ being portions of Block ‘D’ in Plantation Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, Minister Rodrigues said, “We have engaged the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited [NICIL] because that area is now under their purview…It was taken to the Board and they approved the transfer of that area from NICIL to the Government of Guyana and we will administer the issuance of those titles through the Central Housing and Planning Authority.”
She further explained that the transfer was green-lighted through a March 25, 2021 Cabinet decision, while adding that NICIL is in the process of preparing the legal framework.
The land was originally transported by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to CH&PA via Transport No. 302/2005 to begin the process of regularisation. But this was stalled following the discovery that a portion of Block ‘C’ was owned by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).
Three informal settlers, who were occupying the land owned by DDL, were last year relocated to Prospect, East Bank Demerara, through a partnership between DDL and CH&PA. Minister Rodrigues noted that the relocated persons in Prospect are also to receive their land titles.
Since the new government took office, squatters had lamented their title ownership issue to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, during a number of his outreaches on the East Bank Demerara. Minister Croal had assured the residents that the situation would be met with swift resolution.
With the massive road development network soon to come on stream, Minister Croal noted also that there will be new lands opening up in Region Three. He said the many “spin-off” benefits from that project will impact the housing sector.