Co-op society secretary fired

… after allocating already transported lands to new persons

The secretary of the North Haslington Co-op Society, which is located in Enmore, East Coast Demerara, who was responsible for distributing new ownership documents for lands that were already owned, was dismissed from her duties on Friday.
Information reaching Guyana Times indicated that this was done during a meeting with the Junior Social Protection Minister, Keith Scott and officials from Enmore and North Haslington.
“She was fired. The officials say that they don’t want her back in the co-op office and then we went around to see what was happening and to take pictures of the land and house them that she send out transport documents for,” an official close to the dispute told this newspaper.
It was indicated that new members will be elected to manage the co-op society to ensure that the lands are returned to the correct owners. During the meeting on Friday, the Enmore and North Haslington officials were given until the last day of October to establish a new committee.
“We elect some people but we got to get some more so from now to the 31st of next month (October), we have to form the group by then. What she was doing was wrong so we will try to get new members for the co-op,” the official related.
The official added that persons who were “illegally” given the lands are still constructing houses, despite knowing that they have to move.
“They still building. They still have construction going although they know that the land was not supposed to be given to them and nobody supposed to be having a transport because this is black lease land.”
For many months, the co-op’s secretary has been issuing documents for properties that were already owned in Enmore, which created a ruckus in the community. Additionally, the homes of many in the community were invaded, and their belongings thrown on the roadway on many occasions. Outsiders were appearing at the homes of random people with transport documents, claiming that they legitimately owned the land.
As such, assistance was sought by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who highlighted the matter for actions to be taken by other bodies. He indicated that such an act was illegal since the persons rightfully owned the lands and were not squatting. Police protection was also requested since the affected persons were threatened that they would be harmed if they returned to their dwellings.
Prior to her dismissal, the co-op society secretary was ordered to cease all issuances of new land ownership documents. However, many persons were hassled when they went to her to repossess their lands.
Several residents in the area told Guyana Times that they are relieved that such actions will not be occurring in the future but are now trying to recover their lands.
“I go all over trying to get help and it’s the same thing we ending back to. When we go to the co-op, they say that the land is not transported land, its black lease. They had stop this woman from giving out transport to other people land and causing all the stress cause she giving people the authority to take over we land,” said Nadia Rambarran, as she recalled what occurred when she tried to recover her land.