The Government of Guyana has taken to the West Coast of Berbice (Region 5) its drive to ensure everyone is settled on regularised land, and more than 50 families have been assured that they would receive certificates of title for their house lots.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, on Wednesday led a delegation which included staff from the Legal Affairs Ministry, the Ministry of Housing, officials from the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund Committee (SILWFC) and officials of Region 5 to meet with residents of Hope/Bath Settlement.
Some of the persons who will benefit from the issuance of certificates of title
While there, he discussed with them the issuance of certificates of title for house lots which they occupy. In his remarks, the Minister of Legal Affairs stated that approximately 59 families would benefit from the exercise. These are persons who are, or were, former employees of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) who purchased these lots since 1996 but were not issued with titles.
Nandlall reminded that this is part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C’s) campaign promise to identify these areas across the country that are affected and to ensure that they are regularised and titles are issued for the lands.
Noting that President Dr Irfaan Ali’s Government is committed to fulfilling this promise, he identified Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara as one of the areas where the initiative was successfully completed and over fifty families received their certificates of title.
He reminded also of a similar initiative launched some three weeks ago at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo.
A variation of the exercise is being conducted at Cotton Tree, and at Numbers 4 and 5 Villages, West Coast Berbice.
The Attorney General also explained the fundamental importance of a certificate of title.
“It is that document which conclusively declares you to be the owner of the land to which it relates. No one, not even the State, can lawfully take that land away from you without compensation. It is that document that enables you to borrow from the commercial banks; it is that instrument which permits you to transmit that land to your children and future generations,” Nandlall said.
The Attorney General promised the residents that the titles would be ready by May of 2022. Member of Parliament Faizal Jaffarally and Region 5 Chairman Vickchand Ramphal were also in attendance.
Earlier this month, almost 100 people were presented with their titles in the community of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, Region Three. The persons who collected their titles were either employees of GuySuCo or their descendants who had been allotted house lots as far back as 1997.
Unfortunately, titles for those lands were never granted to the allottees, although the block title was passed from GuySuCo to the SILWFC. An occupational survey plan has already been completed, and the processing of the titles to individual allottees would now begin. (G3)
