Land controversy brews at Amelia’s Ward

Several plots of land allocated to Lindeners at Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) in March by Housing Minister Valerie Patterson-Yearwood are currently being occupied illegally by other persons.
In an interview with members of the media on Tuesday, Patterson-Yearwood recalled that she had allocated 72 house lots to members of the Police Force and others, including teachers and nurses in Linden; however, issues have arisen when allottees were taken to identify their plots of land.
According to the Minister, allottees, surveyors and housing officials were prevented from accessing some of these lands by persons who claims that the land belongs to them.
“The office staff here (Linden) along with the surveyor from Georgetown, they went through Amelia’s Ward… We have major issues in Amelia’s Ward. What we found is that when persons actually went to identify their house lots, it was not happening. When my officers went on the ground, we noticed that the (palings) that were placed there years ago, persons had displaced them,” the Minister said.
Patterson-Yearwood said this led to the palings being replaced in some areas by surveyors in order for those lots to be identified by their rightful owners. However, she said they were met with unfavourable responses during the identification exercise.
“…I was also informed that during that time, persons from Amelia’s Ward – or probably elsewhere, I’m not sure – claimed that those lands belonged to them. Some of them put down a cross and they resisted or hindered the surveyor and the persons from having access to those lands,” Patterson- Yearwood stated. The Minister said she was aware that a number of persons were illegally occupying lands in Amelia’s Ward to conduct farming.
“Those lots are residential lots; they are not for farming. They have been allocated to persons since the month of March. Persons have paid for those lots, and they rightfully own those lots. Any person who is resisting our rightful owners from occupying, I will turn the matter into the hands of the Police,” Patterson- Yearwood said.
This publication understands that some of the people “illegally” occupying the lands are in possession of documents for same. However, the Minister claimed that those documents are not for that particular plot of land.
Patterson-Yearwood has also promised strict penalties for persons who illegally construct permanent structures on lands designated for housing projects.