RESIDENTS of the squatting community of Andyville, Wismar, Linden, who earlier in the year pleaded with the relevant authorities to provide them with electricity for Christmas, were left disappointed as the promise made to them did not materialise. The community,which is in existence for 20 years,was without both electricity and water,but since the residents commenced engagement with several regional and Government officials, 16 stand pipes were installed by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) following the intervention of the Chief Executive Officer,Mr Van-West Charles.
These stand pipes have been installed in the interim as the community of 125 households becomes regularised. Residents were in high praise of Mr Charles who stood by his word and delivered on a promise to provide them access to water for Christmas, but they continue to fetch water in darkness as the promise to deliver on electricity did not come through.
Given that the community is a squatting area, the Linden Utility Services Incorporated (LUSI) is unable to commence the process of bringing electrification to the residents’ homes as a survey of the community will be needed.
In their desperation, several attempts were made to have this done, even hiring a private surveyor to map the area.
Community Development Council Chairman Michael Greene said residents spent about $330, 000 at $10, 000 per house lot to pay a surveyor to have the community surveyed.
Residents, though many are of limited means, also pooled their money together to purchase materials needed for the project, but Greene claimed that they were instructed by the Regional CDC Office to discontinue the surveying process as it will provide a recommended surveyor.
“That was since 2015 and up to now no surveyor ain’t come; we desperately want light so we try we best to see what we can do,but they get we stall up and them in doing nothing,” Greene said.
Since then the community representatives have visited several Government ministers;the latest being Minister of State,Joseph Harmon, who they claimed promised to bring electricity to the community for Christmas. Much to their disappointment, their Christmas was dark and this made them feel depressed.
GENERATOR
One resident,Monica Harris,said she was forced to use a generator on Christmas night.
“I had to try and do everything early, all my preparation early before night and I had to put my generator on for a couple hours during the nights to put on the fairy lights,” she said.
Another resident,Brian Bourne,also expressed his disappointment.

“I feel bad because the ministers them give we their word that we gon get we light for the holiday,so ya know when the big ones give them promises and ain’t fulfil it, you kinda lose that confidence in them.”
He,however,expressed appreciation for the stand pipes and hopes that electricity will be delivered soon.
According to Bourne, the electricity company could have at least provided electricity for the main road so that a few residents could have benefited from this until it is regularised.
ROBBERS
He related that the dense darkness has encouraged robbers and burglars to attack residents on their way home during the nights.
Another resident,Micheal Greene,also lamented spending Christmas in the dark.
“We in our dark community had to watch other people put up their fairy lights and we couldn’t,so we felt very down.”
In November, Chief Executive Officer and Commissioner of Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission,Trevor Benn,visited the community and made a commitment to have the community regularised.
He promised to commence an occupational survey by December 1,and residents say even though this has commenced, they are yet to receive feedback on the process.
Benn also made it clear that for the area to be regularised, some property may have to be broken down.
“In order for a community to be established, you have certain minimum standards you have to have. A certain road with sizes, sizes of house lot etc, etc; what we are seeing here on the ground to date does not allow for regularisation of the community. If we are going to be able to regularise the community, some people will have to move, in order for us to have the roadway that is necessary to allow the Central Board of Health to clear this area as a community. Going forward we have to have road of a certain width, we have to have house lots of a certain size. The way people have occupied on the ground, it does not allow for that,” Benn stressed.
Community Development Council Deputy Director,Sandra Adams,made it clear that if this should be the case, the Government will not be financing any rebuilding of property as it was illegal to squat in the first place.
Residents,in their desperation for development, made a commitment to allow for the process to go on despite some disadvantages behind it.
“We are poor people, we know it was wrong to squat but we are young people and we want a living,so we went there because there was nowhere else and so I feel these people need to be a little more compassionate in the way they are dealing with us,” Green said.