More than 250 residents of Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara were on Tuesday promised titled land once they cooperate with the Housing Ministry to regularise the squatter settlement there. Reappointed Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali and several officials from the lands and survey department, as well as the Housing Ministry, visited Cane Grove on Tuesday to engage the community ahead of the commencement of the project.
Residents of Cane Grove at the meeting with Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali
Ali said that his government is concerned about the wellbeing of all Guyanese, including those who may be occupying lands illegally or without the relevant titles. He believes that the ministry has a responsibility to engage persons in squatter settlements to have them understand the importance of having well structured and planned communities, which is only realised through regularisation.
Ali said that residents of Cane Grove are “his community and development partners”, because in the end, they become the beneficiaries of whatever investment is made by the administration.
“I came here to find a solution to your housing problem, which is twofold… We will have to work together and cooperate in order to achieve success and for both parties to be satisfied with the end product,” Ali told residents.
The Housing Ministry announced that the first step towards regularisation is the execution of a new occupancy survey that would seek to identify those persons who would benefit directly from the process and those who may become disenfranchised as a result. He did say that this survey would also seek to identify the lots that can be regularised under the laws and those that would have to be either relocated or abandoned altogether.
“This is step one and I anticipate that it should take at least six weeks to be completed, once you cooperate with those responsible,” Ali said.
The housing minister said once this is done, step two would involve conducting a cadastral survey and implementing a plan for the community, after which issues such as allocation and titling could be quickly attended to.
Ali also pledged to work with the stakeholders in the community to identify another area that could be developed as a housing scheme, which would capture those who may become disenfranchised as a result of the regularisation or those who may have to be relocated.
