CHILDREN OF North Ruimveldt Multilateral School are exposed to waterborne diseases due to flooding of the school’s compound.

It is believed that the flooding, aside from rain, is caused by persons squatting on the school’s land.

Georgetown Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green, has since requested that an engineer visit the school to determine what is causing the build-up of water in the compound so as to prevent the spread of mosquitoes and waterborne diseases.

Town Clerk, Royston King, reported to the Council this week that the issue is engaging the municipality’s attention.

“We have a number of squatters on the school land and they are facilitating overtopping in that yard which is not a good thing, particularly when we take into account that we are having heavy rains,” King noted.

Just recently, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), urged squatters to commence the process of land ownership before the agency rolls out its action plan against illegal occupancy.

This plan is expected to commence before year-end.

The authority has reported that of the approximately 1200 illegal occupants squatting within Georgetown, at least 400 have been interviewed with the intention of initiating the process to land and homeownership.

CH&PA Community Development Director, Gladwin Charles, told reporters that squatting remains a major concern and challenge to the housing department, resulting in the drafting of an action plan that will see their removal, particularly in critical zones within the City.

“This year, we are looking to have our action plan completed… And even before then, persons must come in to start the process,” Charles said, adding that of the 400 squatters already interviewed, 198 have received house lots.
Outside of this, he said, 350 property titles are being processed and 185 have already been completed.

Charles said whereas in the past squatters erected temporary shelters or shacks, the new breed are building better structures in the hope that by so doing, they will pre-qualify for a home when it is time for them to be removed.

CH&PA Operations Director, Denise King-Tudor, has said CH&PA has registered 3000 persons to obtain housing solutions following the recently held Housing Expo which introduced duplex houses to Guyana.

The authority for this year targeted 2000 persons for property access, and thus far, 355 potential homeowners have accessed housing solutions, while another 1855 persons have accessed titles for their properties, which included existing properties that required remedial work.

Tudor said to meet the authority’s target would depend on the availability of property since the government will construct and issue over 700 housing units this year, along with house lots.