MINISTER of Housing and Water Collin Croal on Friday reassured residents that the government intends to complete the regularisation of the house lots in Plantation Prosperity/Barnwell North, East Bank Demerara.

Minister Croal made the announcement as he listened to the concerns of residents during a community meeting held at the Mocha Primary School.

He explained that the matter will be handled by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) over the next few weeks.

“Prior to a week ago, I did not have all the details, but now we have all the evidence, and have the documents to proceed, all the persons in Prosperity, you will be regularized, as well as be able to be processed for your transport,” the minister told the gathering.

“The land is under the purview of GuySuCo, so we will proceed to regularise the area. There’s a process when we have to transfer land, and have to go through that time period of gazetting, and publishing. I am giving myself six weeks, maximum, to have this sorted out, because what happens after transferring from GuySuCo to CH&PA, the CH&PA has to gazette in order to change the land use, so the land use also has to change,” he added.

However, even as he conveyed the government’s plans to make the area into a formal dwelling, he reiterated a zero tolerance for squatting.

The minister called on residents to be vigilant, and ensure that other individuals do not use the announcement of the regularising of the lots as motivation to now go and squat.

Minister Croal explained that the CH&PA officials have already been into the area, and have numbered the existing structures. They have also taken overhead drone shots of the current layout of the area.

With all of that in place, he insisted that no new structure will be recognised.

“The team [CH&PA] has already done some numbering; we have drone shots, [so] we know what the layout is like. So, no one can go and start constructing now, and claim to be included in what we are doing now. Protect what you have there now, and do not allow further encumbrances,” the minister implored.

He also called on the residents to be mindful of changes that will need to be made to accommodate the establishment of formal drainage and walkways or roads in the area. This may require the shifting of the boundaries of some of the lots.

In this regard, he called on the residents to be cooperative, as it is all part of ensuring that they are able to gain ownership of their lots.

“When you regularise an area, you have to cater for access and in doing that as far as is practical, the planners and surveyors will be coignisant of existing structures, and craft out as far as possible without minimum disruption. But we need your cooperation. If anybody has to shift or move a fence or whatever, we are seeking your cooperation,” he added.