Use of Council reserves limited to temporary structures- Linden Town Clerk

… Says unauthorised structures stymie development

In light of the continued misuse of the council’s reserves by individuals who were granted permission to vend in these areas, the Town Clerk of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara–Upper Berbice), Lennox Gasper, has issued a firm clarification.
Gasper emphasised that permission to vend on council reserves does not extend to the construction of permanent structures.
He noted that such spaces are designated solely for temporary use, and any deviation from this guideline not only violates the terms of use but also hampers the town’s orderly development and future planning efforts.
The clarification was made during a recent airing of the ‘A Close Look at Municipal Matters’ programme.
“To speak to this sensitive issue of the use of the reserve – one of the things people don’t understand – while the council gives you permission to establish a caravan on the council’s reserve to ply your trade, to earn a dollar, it does not give you the right to establish a permanent structure in the form of concrete.”
The Town Clerk emphasised that, as part of the conditions under which vending is permitted, all caravans and other temporary structures must be removed from the council’s reserve by 6 pm each day.
“And the council has accommodated you, hence, you needed to move that caravan at 6 o’clock every day – not to leave that caravan on the reserve.”
Moreover, the Town Clerk underscored the critical importance of the council’s reserves, explaining that these areas were deliberately set aside to support key infrastructural and developmental initiatives.
He noted that the reserves play a vital role in facilitating public works such as the construction and maintenance of drainage systems, road expansion projects, and other community improvement efforts.
“Now, why do we have the reserve? The reserve is there for the purpose of the expansion of roads and any form of development. The reserves are there for pipelines – well, in the case of more developed countries, they have the power line and gas line running along the reserve.”
Gasper stressed that the proper use and protection of these reserves are essential to ensuring the smooth execution of such projects, which ultimately contribute to the town’s long-term growth and sustainability.
In fact, Gasper pointed to a recent example at the Bayrock National Stadium, where construction is currently underway on a $179 million facility that will feature the region’s first-ever synthetic track.
“And here is a resident of block 22 that is living right opposite. He lives right opposite where his shop is. Now when we went to investigate, his shop falls exactly where the fence has to pass to take the turn. Whatever was the discussion between himself and the men, whatever it was, according to him, they have decided that they will ask for him to take down a shed.”
The Town Clerk Added, “I said I will talk with the contractors and try to see how best they can accommodate you, prepare back that base that you have, but we’re going to do it in your yard. This is to accommodate the resident – I had to hear how long he lived there. He was the first person to live there…I asked one question did you get permission from the council to put this up here? The answer was no. Then the structure itself is illegal. I don’t need to ask anything else. It should be demolished, it must be demolished.”