RESIDENTS of Number 46 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne, will soon be granted titles for the lands they have occupied for decades.
This assurance was given by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C., on Thursday.

The Attorney-General informed residents that the process to ensure they have ownership is moving apace.
Most of the land residents have been occupying for decades are being claimed by others. The minister noted that over the years, they have been paying a nominal rent for the land.

Minister Nandlall said when the issue was first raised, government moved to begin the process of granting ownership to the residents. Petitioning the Land Court was one of the methods used, but that did not prove to be fruitful.

The minister pointed out that having the matter resolved first required a survey of the community to be recorded on a single plan. He said that survey has already been completed.

“This single plan here shows every single lot of land in this village; shows the dimension, all the streets, shows the size of the lot, who is occupying, those who are adjacent, and it also shows which of these plots are owned by certificate of title and who own them,” he stated.

“This singular plan will be used to get descriptions for all of you for the land you occupy, and, eventually, when titles come after the process is concluded, the description of your land that will be on your title will be derived from this plan,” the Attorney-General continued.

The Attorney-General informed residents whose cases are before the court that they must be amended to include the new survey. He said it is the only way they would be able to acquire a title for the land.

“The clear-cut cases where nobody is asserting title, and the land is clearly demarcated, you will get your title, obviously. The second set we will deal with is those that are opposed. We will have to sit down with the people who are opposing you, and work out a compensation or some form of resolution whereby they will relinquish their interest in the land. The government will take care of that; that is our promise and commitment to you,” he said.

Residents were urged not to alter the boundaries of their lands, as doing so would result in their not receiving the titles they have been awaiting.
“The major part of the work is concluded, which was to get a proper comprehensive accurate plan. And please, none of you do not change your boundaries, because it will cause problems.

Any movement of any boundaries here will cause great disaster in this process, because, from the time you move, you are shifting to another boundary, or you are shifting to a place that is different from which is demarcated on the plan,” the Attorney-General urged.

Only recently, the Attorney-General and Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues assisted scores of residents of Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara to receive land titles after years of waiting. They received their titles on October 7, 2021.

(DPI)