DEMOCRACY is about the creation of wealth under human conditions and the just and equitable distribution of that wealth. Consequently, democracy cannot develop in conditions of backwardness where one man has too many lands while too many have too little. It was reported in the media that  an individual was given thousands of acres of lands in a controversial land deal back in 2008, this has raised serious questions by the Guyanese public how these lands were acquired.
I found it strange that the government repossessed the land on Water Street to house vendors years ago, but could not do the same for these underutilised lands and give it to the poor and downtrodden. The state must ensure that the Laws of Guyana are upheld and the payment of market compensation be paid over to the state. The Minister of Agriculture should however be concerned about those persons who received lands from the State and are not utilising those lands productively. Many people like the individual referred to above have lease and transported lands acquired for next to nothing under the PNC regime.
In the case of lease land, no one can sell those lands according to the laws unless the state is convinced that these lands were put under productive use for a number of years.
When the PPP/C took over the reins of government the primary characteristics was carrying out an evaluation of state lands in the hands of persons  who were simply holding on to those lands as asset to profiteer. During the PNC 28 years the practice lacked transparency, with widespread subjectivity, favoritism and ad hoc practice in the distribution of state lands. An evaluation of the nature and forms of state lands in Guyana for over two decades to 1992 would lead to the conclusion that there had been no recognisable state lands policy and programme in place. There were no known criteria for the evaluation of applications or the award of titles, the government should see land as a national resource. The development and productive utilisation of land is integrally tied to national economic and social development.