-Lincoln Lewis urges Land CoI

VETERAN Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis last week presented proof of ownership of the villages of Kingelly and Litchfield, West Coast Berbice (WCB) to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into lands here, while calling on the commission to right the wrongs meted out to the villages.

During his presentation, Lewis said he is one of the heirs of Cudjoe McPherson who purchased the village of Litchfield, which was transported in 1840 and Kingelly, transported in January, 1850. He applauded the establishment of the commission, while noting that it presents an opportunity to right wrongs, take a modern approach to land ownership, and to ensure the rightful owners retain possession.

“As advised, my ancestors had a different outlook to land.  Consistent with the tradition they brought from Africa to this part of the world, it was the belief that the land belongs to all, to be used for the development of all, and would be treated as such. Time has changed from that principle they lived by and guided the acquisition of land, in this instance, the purchase of plantations, which were converted to villages in the pioneering Village Movement era,” said Lewis.

The trade unionist who hails from the WCB told the commission that though land is treated as wealth, in today’s context it requires identification through documented ownership, be it purchase, inherited or leased.

“The heirs of Cudjoe McPherson in the ownership of Kingelly came through the original transport.  This land is bordered by Phoenix on the west and Plantation Brahn on the east, stretching across the northern side of the public road,” Lewis explained, while presenting a copy of the survey commissioned by McPherson and conducted by Williams Chalmers in 1868, and the transport for the village which shows proof of purchase and ownership.

Lewis emphasized that, the fact that his great-great-great-great grandfather did not leave a will for his descendants is a matter of perspective in the era that he lived. “That the absence of such document may have caused others, not of his lineage to think that it is acceptable to claim land they did not purchase nor could have inherited, our submission to this commission is to have this injustice corrected,” he stated.

And according to the trade unionist, economy land can be used for several purposes and remains an indication of wealth or opportunities to engage in similar pursuits.

“It is our hope this notwithstanding, that this commission will seek to right decades of wrong, and the heirs of Cudjoe McPherson can occupy and utilise their land free from interference and having to be subject to constant threats that violence will be visited on them by those who squat and occupy this land illegally.

“The heirs of Cudjoe McPherson seek a peaceful resolution to having restored to us what is rightly ours,” Lewis concluded. Government launched the CoI to address issues related to land allocation, management and titling. The commission is tasked with examining and making recommendations to resolve all the issues and uncertainties surrounding the individual, joint or commonable ownership of lands acquired by freed Africans, and claims of Amerindian land-titling and other matters relative to land-titling.