UNDER the theme “Mainstreaming Sustainable Land Development and Management”, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) has started work on a National Land Policy.
This is according to policy analyst at the GLSC, Durwin Humphrey, during a press conference on Thursday at the commission’s Durban Backlands location.

He explained that a National Land Policy will be a framework of how to proceed with the development of the country’s land, and such a policy was never completed or adopted in Guyana previously.

“We consider this a monumental step in the country’s history,” Humphrey said.
He said a national land policy is important for several reasons since land essentially is a developmental issue.

Adding that a national land policy is government’s perception of priories in the land sector, he said an 18-month timeline has been set for completion of the policy.
He said that there will be a partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation, along with an international and national consultant to lead in the development of the policy.

“Over the 18-month period, we are likely to see several rounds of very-detailed consultations with all sectors; we are considering what are the priorities in relation to housing, what are the priorities in relation to Indigenous lands, mining, forestry, agriculture, water frontlands and development; what do people want to see in terms of ‘green’ spaces and several other issues,” he said.

He said land is a fundamental pillar of development in everyone’s life, “and land can be a contentious issue in Guyana.”

“When we are done with this land policy, it must be acknowledged and owned by the people in order for us to have success in terms of its implementation,” Humphrey noted.
He said people must see their priorities reflected in the National Land Policy as interactions will occur countrywide.

Underscoring that previously land was issued in an ad hoc manner, he said that there are many overlaps and fragmentation of mining and agriculture lands.

“What a National Land Policy does, is that it creates a framework for what people’s priorities are and how we go about with land administration and land distribution and so it tells us of how we ought to plan for the development of our land and it is developed based on input from the people,” Humphrey said.

He described it as a bottom-up approach from the grassroots level, noting that works to commence the policy started two months ago.

Further, he said Jamaica completed its National Land Policy since 1992. He said funds will be sourced from the US$15M Guyana Red Plus Investment Fund.