THIRTY-one persons who were allocated lands at Kokerital Hill in the Mabaruma sub-district of Region One (Barima-Waini) received their Certificates of Title on Saturday after several years of waiting.

The residents were presented with the ownership documents during an outreach at the Mabaruma Learning and Resource Centre led by the Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, and a team from the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA).
Regional Chairman Mr. Brentnol Ashley and Regional Executive Officer Mr. Teka Bissessar were also present at the activity.

Minister Croal stated that the exercise is intended to bring happiness and satisfaction to the residents, so that they can move forward. He also said that it is important for hinterland and riverine communities to receive equal access to the housing opportunities present on the coastland.

Allocations at Kokerital began in 2000, with some 113 persons, primarily low-income earners, receiving house lots. However, the processing of titles was affected due to land ownership issues, and the area recorded a low-occupancy rate.

In April 2021, Minister Croal promised that the CH&PA would work with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) on the legal framework to rectify the issue.
While 20 of the 31 individuals issued tittles are first-time recipients, 11 persons were re-issued following rectification. Additionally, 21 persons were also able to register for their titles. New applications for house lots and the Steel and Cement Housing Subsidy programme were also processed at the activity.

Overall, Region One has a backlog of over 170 applications. As such, the minister noted that the Ministry of Housing & Water is pursuing land acquisition to address the housing demands of the region. Moreover, a Regional Housing Officer is expected to be appointed in 2023.