–President Ali says, as persons who occupy regularised land receive titles
–over 160 land titles to soon be distributed at Blueberry Hill, as ‘Operation Clear-Up’ takes shape

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali fulfilled his promise to Vergenoegen residents by ensuring that persons who occupy regularised land received their titles, less than a month after the initial meeting.
Land titles were distributed on Friday, and already contracts have been awarded for the development of infrastructure within the community.

According to Dr. Ali: “Today, we’re resolving a 49-year-old problem,” underscoring that the residents should be thrilled to have the weight of not being regularised lifted off their backs.
The President said that the regularisation of the Acme Housing Scheme did come with some challenges, but by staying true to his word, he and his team followed through to ensure residents received their titles.

“We have been able to identify 150 lots for regularisation here in Vergenoegen on the East Bank of Essequibo,” he proudly revealed.
The President also said that out of the 150 lots, 94 of them are verified for allocation and processing of title.

On another note, while 24 lots have also been verified, commercial activities were taking place, but these lots will still be processed and ready in the coming weeks.

Additionally, out of the 150 lots, 13 which were identified fell within the family dispute category, and 17 lots belonged to owners who are abroad.
“I want to assure you that every single lot will be regularized, and the title will be ready in the coming days,” he related to the residents.

Hearing the complaints of underdeveloped infrastructure within the community, the Head of State told the residents that contracts have already been awarded for the construction of roads in the Acme Housing Scheme.

The President further disclosed that he gave instructions to the Housing Minister to commence the launch of “Operation Clear-Up”, which is aimed at tidying up areas that can be regularised.
He related: “Operation Clear-Up from the Ministry of Housing is a special operation that the ministry would launch to clear up every area in which regularisation is possible, and all outstanding land titles in regularised areas.”

The Head of State then said that the handing over of the land titles to the Vergenoegen residents is just one phase of “Operation Clear-Up”.

“This is one aspect of Operation Clear-Up. We have many communities across the country in which we’ll be working to have ‘Operation Clear-Up’ resolve outstanding matters in terms of land title,” he remarked.

President Ali said that in the coming days, the community of Blueberry Hill, in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), will see over 160 land titles ready to be distributed, all owing to “Operation Clear-Up”.

“So, all across our country, this activity [will be] going on. We know how important the [land] title is important to you, so that you can have access to loans, legitimate ownership to your land,” the Head of State remarked.

Also, he said that there are ongoing works in progress to finalise the land titles in areas such as Bath and Lima Sands, emphasising that: “Operation Clear-Up will see more families getting their titles to these areas.”

Minister of Housing Collin Croal expressed nothing but happiness for the residents, given this major accomplishment.

He said that over 270 plots of land are scheduled for regularisation in various locations, including on the Good Hope Railway Embankment, Philadelphia Railway Embankment, Barnwell, Zeelugt, Plantation De Willem, and Plantation Tuschen.

With that, the Housing Ministry will continue to work to regularise these areas, and carry out their objectives.

Last month, when Minister Croal met with the residents, he said that the housing scheme, which was started in the early 1990s as a cooperative society, comprised around 65 lots.

However, due to the co-op’s lack of land ownership, the cadastral plan recording for title processing was affected. Consequently, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) was approached for regularization, and has now successfully completed the inventory.

On the “railway embankment”, there are another 65 lots, according to the block and occupation survey. The inventory has been completed, and block titles obtained.

The regularisation of the communities is a crucial aspect of the housing ministry’s comprehensive 2023 regularisation programme for Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).