Members of the Guyana Police Force were summoned yesterday by officials of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) to assist with the removal of squatters and the structures they erected from government reserve at Anna Catherina South Scheme on the West Coast of Demerara.

Mrs. Maria James, right, with her eight children and husband.

The officers attempted to calm the frustrated individuals by calling for their organising and electing represntativess to represent their interests to the relevant authorities.

two persons, Mr. Ramnarine Harrinarine and Mr. Rondell John, were arrested at approximately 9:20hours yesterday, while another, an unidentified male, escaped from custody.

Mr. Rudolph Ramnarine	Mrs. Chandra Singh
Mr. Mark Stephens	64-year-old, Mrs. Sanicharra.
Mr. Rajendra Haridat	Mrs. Joycelyn Ho-A-Lim, mother of nine children.
Mr. Vishram Shrinaga	Mr. Ramnarine Harrinarine, one of the two arrested.
Mrs. Maureen Roberts, with the youngest of her five children.	Mr. Lloyd Williams and one of his three children.

The trio have been accused of threatening CHPA officials while they attempted to carry of their duties.

In an invited comment, Housing Minister Mr. Irfaan Ali, who visited the area briefly yesterday, said that under no circumstances will squatting be allowed.

He pointed out that officials from his Ministry visited the area on Saturday and Sunday before the squatters built their makeshift houses.

“They were warned,” he said. Ali further explained that those in need of land can access lots by visiting the Ministry’s offices.

The Minister revealed that several of the squatters in the area were already given lots in the recently developed Tuschen Housing Scheme, but they sold these.

The Housing Minister warned too that those who were issued lots before and are guilty of selling it will not have new house lots allocated to them.

But others who come into the Ministry will be given residential house lots in the newly developed Parfait/ Harmony Housing Scheme on the West Bank of Demerara.

Mr. David Lord, Head of Investigation and Enforcement at the Ministry of Housing, who was in change of the demolition of the illegal structures, said his next move will be the acquisition of a list bearing the names of persons who were allocated house lots.

Lord noted that yesterday’s removal of squatters were a result of direct instructions from the Housing Minister.

As to his efforts to involve the police and have individuals arrested, Lord said, “If people squat like that the easy way is to get a hold of the ringleaders…Once you stamp your authority, the others will not be as forceful.”

In this regard, he said the reserve has been cleared and if persons return to squat the process will begin again, and this time the individuals will not be able to repossess their building materials.

“We cleared the reserve and allowed the squatters to collect their materials; but the next time a truck will take away the materials; and after the second time they will be prosecuted,” Lord said.

Homeless
The squatters, who have also been residing on reserve property at Anna Catherina/ Cornelia Ida Sea View, have been given 14 days notice by the Ministry of Housing to remove from the Sea View area.

This area was affected on Wednesday by the high spring tide which overtopped sections of the sea defense and caused damage to several properties.

And so individuals made the move to Anna Catherina South Scheme, on Saturday and erected the temporary ‘shacks’.

When the Guyana Chronicle caught up with the squatters, the majority voiced their discontent at being allocated house lots in Parfait/ Harmony, stating that it was too far and would affect their livelihoods.

One individual, Mrs. Nazaleen Sanicharra, told the Chronicle that the monthly income in her household is approximately $23,000.

“We live here eight years and here we depend on the river, we sell fish…We are poor people; where we will get the money for transportation like for when the children got to go to school or when something wrong with them…We glad if we can get a close place to continue with our work to survive,” she said.

Another Mr. Mark Stephens said, “I have no where to go. My house flood and even my brand new stove get the salt mud…I applied for land how long and didn’t get…We willing to pay for this land but we don’t want to go so far.”

Another Sea View resident, Mr. Rudolph Ramnarine, in expressing his desire to reside close to where he works said when the flood water rises it does so to a height of approximately 15 to 16 inches.

One woman, Mrs. Chandra Singh, complained that her home has collapsed because of the situation with the spring tide.

“The water creating a problem…I have my children living with me plus I have three grandchildren to look after…I have no where to go,” she lamented.

Mrs. Maria James, the mother of eight children, was near tears when she conveyed her dismay to this newspaper.

“The place nasty and I got no where to live…We can’t leave here because we can’t afford it,” she said.

James added too that none of the children were able to make it to school, yesterday, because of her present predicament.

Reiterating the same sentiment was, Mrs. Maureen Roberts, mother of five children, who
added that to up and leave a life that has been built on the strength of much effort is not easy.

Mrs. Joycelyn Ho-A-Lim, mother of nine children, was also adamant in echoing her peer’s opinions.

Mr. Rajendra Haridat, father of two children, said his home was completely destroyed by last week’s floods.

“Everything damaged even the ration float away…We have no place to go and it will be hard to go till to Parfait because the work is here,” he said.

Another father, Mr. Lloyd Williams, who has three children said the same and stressed on the availability of work.

Mr. Vishram Shrinaga, on the note of financial constraints said, “My house broke and is only a few electrical appliances saved…To move so far will be hard.”

64-year-old, Mrs. Sanicharra (first name not given), in reflecting on the situation observed that it is a difficult task to have to move from the West Coast to the West Bank of Demerara.

“I am 64-years-old and I don’t have no one to look after me. Where will I go,” she queried.

Mr. Ramnarine Harrinarine, who was arrested, told the Guyana Chronicle that having life uprooted to start over so far is not an easy task.

The other person arrested, Mr. Rondell John, echoed the same sentiments and said, “I apply over a year and no response.”

The group of those affected consists primarily of fisherfolks and cane cutters working with the Guyana Sugar Company (GUYSUCO) while the others are labourers and housewives.

Many of them were in possession of letters issued by the CHPA which read, “This is to certify the application for residential house lots was reviewed by the CHPA…The CHPA will communicate with you at a later date, the area available for allocation and the cost of land…”

However, the squatters said the only response from the Ministry of Housing arm, since 2008 when the letters were issued, was given over the weekend by the Ministry announcing the availability of land in Parfait/ Harmony.