After more than three decades, some 65 informal settler households will soon have their own land titles.
This comes as the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) completes the regulation of Blocks ‘B’ and ‘C’, which are portions of Block ‘D’, at Plantation Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
Ministry of Housing and Water Minister Susan Rodrigues made the announcement today, during a brief statement at Ministry Headquarters.
“We have engaged with National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited [NICIL] because that area is now under their view … It was taken to the Board and the transfer of that area from NICIL to the Government of Guyana was approved and we will administer the publication of those titles through the Central Housing and Planning Authority, ” Minister Rodrigues said.
He further explained that transfer is going green through the Cabinet decision of March 25, 2021 and NICIL is in the process of preparing the legal framework.
The land was originally shipped by Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Inc. in CH&PA vide Transport No. 302/2005 to begin the process of regulation. However, the regulatory process was stopped after it was discovered that Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) owns a portion of Block ‘C’.
Three informal settlers, who occupied the land owned by DDL, were relocated to Prospect, Demerara East Bank last year, through a partnership between DDL and CH&PA. Minister Rodrigues noted that the people relocated in Prospect were also to receive their land titles.
Since the new government took office, squatters had lamented the issue of ownership of title to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin D Croal during many of his East Bank defeats, as well as the Minister Rodrigues. Both Ministers had assured residents that the situation would be resolved quickly.