Eccles-to-Great Diamond Highway Project: 2 of 7 hold-out Mocha squatters engaging Housing Ministry for compensation packages – Min Croal

…as MoE steps in to ensure 16 displaced children attend school

Only two of the seven remaining squatters at the Mocha/Cane View area showed up at the Housing Ministry on Friday to activate the process for them to receive compensation packages to relocate to a nearby housing development along the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor.
Following the demolition of the structures on the Government reserves at Mocha/Cane View, which are in the path of the ongoing Eccles-to-Great Diamond four-lane Highway, four squatters had reached out to the Housing Ministry on Thursday afternoon to get compensation packages.
However, only two of those persons turned up on Friday morning.
According to subject Minister Collin Croal, those two persons are being “engaged”. He added that the door was still open for the other five persons to follow suit.
Guyana Times understands that of the two individuals who are engaging the Ministry, one person has signed an agreement for a land and financial compensation while the other person has asked for time to consult with their family.
In 2021, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) engaged 35 families from Mocha/Cane View on their relocation to prepare for the four-lane road.
Extensive consultations were done to ensure the residents were relocated to developed housing schemes at Farm and Herstelling on the EBD, equipped with all the amenities that would lead to their enhanced livelihoods.
Already, some 28 persons have been resettled in a more cohesive, sustainable and safe community after signing their compensation agreements in December 2021.

To date, some $250 million has been expended as compensation to those persons along with over $6 million compensation for crops. Additionally, lands, assistance, and titles were also made available to the residents free of cost.
However, seven persons remained on the reserves over the past months after rejecting Government’s offer while making excessive demands totalling some $590 million for properties that were valued at just $56 million.
After several months of warnings and failed attempts to remove those persons, the Housing Ministry went ahead and demolished all the structures on the reserves on Thursday.
During this exercise, however, persons set a $49 million excavator on fire – a move which was condemned by President Dr Irfaan Ali.
The Head of State said that the squatters, backed by the PNC-led Opposition, were holding up the highway construction that would not only bring relief to commuters along the East Bank, but also increase the value of properties in the area.
The President noted too that by relocating, Government was giving these seven families the opportunity to have legally-owned houses and land, which would secure their future.
“There is no political mileage or opportunism that can be extracted from this. I asked and I urge these families not to be used as political tools and pawns of a few who are only angry at the development of our country. All of Guyana, every reasonable person, can understand that what the Government has offered is above and beyond,” the Head of State urged during a live broadcast on his Facebook page on Thursday.
Only on Tuesday, during a standoff between residents, with support of Opposition members, and demolition workers, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton claimed that the squatters were not in the path of the highway and that Government was relocating them for ulterior motives.
According to Ali, these political leaders are not concerned about the benefits the construction of this highway will bring to citizens.
“We’re building the entire infrastructure out in Mocha that [the Opposition] neglected; passing a new four-lane highway through there that they neglected; increasing the value of lands in that area that they neglected. But in a politically-opportunistic manner, they find an occasion to arrive themselves in numbers as if they have any care and concern.
“A Government that has care and concern is G government that [would do] exactly what we did – moving illegality to legality, offering a better life, offering improved condition. The ball is in the court of those [remaining] families… This government stands ready to welcome you and take you into your new homes and to remove you from the illegally-occupied reserve and to give you a better life. Choose wisely, think wisely, and do not be used opportunistically…,” the Head of State implored.

Displaced children
Meanwhile, with all the illegal structures on the Government reserve destroyed, those families that refused to relocate have now been displaced, including children.
Consequently, a team from the Education Ministry on Friday visited the area to engage parents and students with a view of ensuring that the children attend school.
The team comprised officers from the Ministry’s Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) Unit and the Welfare Unit of the Department of Education of Region Four. They were led by Assistant Chief Education Officer (HFLE), Carol Benn.
According to Benn, her team was able to engage 16 children from the seven households and will work to ensure that they continue to receive an education. She added that where frequent absences were noted, the parties have agreed to collaborate to end this.
Nevertheless, the team will return to the community sometime today to take supplies for these children so that they are all equipped to attend school on Monday.