–pushing other projects to stir economic growth
THE National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd. (NICIL) is playing a major role in empowering residents of Region Ten(Upper Demerara-Berbice) with legal documentation for their plots of land.

Over the past few months, over 500 persons have been presented with either land leases or titles for their residential lands, thus making them legal owners.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICIL Colvin Heath-London related that many of the persons who benefited from the land regularisation process were residing on the lands for decades, without any legal documentation to prove that they are owners. “We have, in some cases, over three generations of people living on the same plot for decades but had no documentation for the land, and this is because a lot of the communities in Linden started as squatting areas and then became established communities after all the relevant public infrastructure was put in,” London explained.

After realising the severity of the problem, NICIL began an aggressive surveying campaign to tackle the issue, and residents were given an opportunity to purchase the plots of land and were issued with their titles. Falling in this category, he explained, were many old employees of the bauxite company, who, as part of their severance packages, were given land or company houses, but no legal process of ownership was ever completed. “In the early 2000s, permission was given but it was never formalised. We also have a lot of people that applied to NICIL for house lots in the former years, but the transaction was never completed, and so, many of those now benefiting from the regularisation process are applicants who were backlogged in the system as well,” another NICIL senior manager related.

He said that the regularisation process is only part of NICIL’s holistic plan to transform Linden into an economic powerhouse, and, therefore, rather than just being a gateway, it will be a destination town. It is a means of empowerment, because without ownership, you can’t get any prosperity. You can take that lease or title to the bank to borrow money to not only construct a home, but to establish a business as well, thus making more services available in Linden. And, therefore, the town will be more viable to be a destination town.”

London said that ownership is a direct impact on the lives of not only residents of Linden, but all communities in Region Ten, and beneficiaries will be able to advance their lives socially and financially. Some of the communities that have benefited from this regularisation include Coomacka, Old England, Ituni, Speightland, Amelia’s Ward and Kwakwani. In addition to its own regularisation, NICIL is also playing an integral role in the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA)’s housing drive by transferring hundreds of acres of land to the entity for affordable allocation. Not only is this being done in Region 10, but in other regions such as Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

More than just the regularisation of land,
CEO London related that land regularisation is only one of the avenues being used to transform Linden into a destination town. The government agency is also pushing development in the agriculture and tourism industry. Tangible support has been given to the Regional Agricultural Committee in its food security drive. It is now the newly- renovated Watooka Guest House’s policy to only make purchases for its restaurant from local farmers, thus boosting their markets.

Realising the region’s tourism potential, NICIL is working assiduously on ensuring the hospitality industry is rated at international standard. This is not only evident in the works that were completed at the Watooka Guest House, but in the erecting of sign boards across Linden, the rehabilitation of the centennial park, and the establishment of the first outdoor restaurant and river deck. “At NICIL,” London said, “we see Region Ten as not a gateway, but as a destination. And in a destination, people stop there, and therefore we need to develop Linden into a commercial centre by allowing all of the goods and services to be available there, so persons coming from the interior locations can stop there and make purchases and return, and persons going into the interior can make their purchases in Linden as well.”

As a result of all these developmental projects, over 400 residents of Region Ten were already employed, and even though it may be on a temporary basis, London related that it is NICIL’s principle to only utilise the service of small contractors within the region. He said that NICIL has an open-door policy, and that while it has been having regular engagement with the Linden Chamber of Commerce, regional officials and other stakeholders, residents are welcome to come to the office to discuss what better ways the entity can serve the region.

Region Ten Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira has applauded NICIL for the strides it has made in ensuring Region Ten again becomes the bread basket of Guyana. “We appreciate all of the help that we are receiving from NICIL; the land regularisation project,” Figueira said, adding: “I personally would have had persons that benefited come up to me and express how grateful they are for being owners of a plot of land.

And we know this is in keeping with the government’s mandate to meet the needs of the people. The issue of land is a very pertinent one, and while CHPA is playing its role to develop these lands with the necessary infrastructure, it is good to know that NICIL is expediting the provision of these lands as well. And so I applaud them, and the residents of Region Ten are very much appreciative of the work it is doing.”