By Telesha Ramnarine

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is warning that it intends to repossess leased land from persons who are not using it for its intended purpose.Mayor Patricia Chase-Green raised the issue recently with city councillors, noting that those lands are just being kept with bushes growing on them. “They’re paying the lease and holding it down and have a whole set of bush growing and you’re passing and two tigers could run out and have the council look bad,” the Mayor observed.
“They should be repossessed,” she urged, even if they are up-to-date with their yearly payments. “We cannot afford for you to come to the council and ask for a piece of land to do a development and then at the end of the day you don’t use it for the development; you just have it there not doing anything. There are other persons who are willing and able and so therefore we have to move forward. No one should be allowed to stall the progress of this council,” she stated.

Chase-Green asked Town Clerk Royston King to ensure that the individuals who have leased lands come forward and pay their yearly amounts, and to repossess those lands that are being paid for but are not being used.

SQUATTING
Meanwhile, another means being explored to reclaim lands belonging to the City Council is that of establishing a specific committee to deal with the issue of squatting in Georgetown. Approximately 1,000 families are currently occupying Council reserves.
Councillor Heston Bostwick had pointed out that on the West Ruimveldt Front Road (Hunter Street to Vlissengen Road), there are 218 families squatting; from Vlissengen Road to Mandela Avenue, 175 families; at Container City, 85 families; and at Side Line Dam, 80 families.
Bostwick is proposing that the committee work in collaboration with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). “You will be able to know who definite, legitimate squatters are, and who are not,” he said.
The councillor observed that over the years, many persons who were residing on the council’s reserves had been allocated house lots but have chosen to remain squatting.
“So I am proposing that the committee look at all issues dealing with squatting, primarily around the city, and come up with a plan whereby land can be allocated to those who have applications at the Ministry of Housing (Housing Department),” Bostwick offered.
The Mayor had said that Bostwick’s figures do not include squatters in other locations of the city such as Towler’s Dam, which starts from Mandela Avenue to the Tucville Bridge and beyond, going to North Ruimveldt.
She said they also do not take in behind Laing Avenue and behind the Chinese Embassy on Mandela Avenue. “So we are looking at approximately 1,000 families,” she calculated.
Councillors Sophia Whyte, Monica Thomas, Trichria Richards, Desiree Liverpool, Lyndon Hilliman, and Yvonne Ferguson also raised the issue of squatting.