–President Ali says

RESIDENTS of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, are set to receive land titles within the next two weeks, securing legal ownership of lands they have been occupying for years.
President, Dr Irfaan Ali made this announcement during a community engagement at Timehri Base Road, on Friday afternoon.

“I know that one of the many challenges that you have within your community is that of your regularisation, because a big segment of the community is a squatter settlement. We have started the process of regularisation and I am very pleased to tell you that our works have been aggressive and within two weeks’ time I will be back here to hand out titles,” the Head of State said.
He reminded citizens that squatting has consequences; however, the government will provide support to residents whose lots can be regularised and those who cannot will be provided with housing accommodation in other ongoing housing developments.

“Sometimes you squat on people land, you squat on reserves, we are trying to regularise all these areas; what cannot be regularised, the people will have to move into the communities we are developing,” Dr Ali said.

Officials from the Ministry of Housing, and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission have been tasked with producing a list which encompasses the areas that can be regularised and those which cannot.

Residents, while welcoming this initiative, also disclosed the need for upgrades to several roads and bridges, many of which are main access networks.

“Our bridges are very, very bad at this. It is affecting daily commute. There are two major bridges, they are wood they are very old,” one resident said.

Aside from this, farmers from the communities highlighted the need for maintenance to drainage and irrigation structures.

“Many of the issues related to agriculture, drainage and irrigation, tomorrow the Ministry of Agriculture, Local Government and Public Works led by the [permanent secretaries] and the senior officers including water and electricity will be launching a comprehensive review and meetings in every single one of the communities that raised concerns,” President Ali said.

The respective officials will return to those communities today, and assessments will be provided to the Head of State.

The outreaches, the President told residents, are aimed at understanding directly the immediate needs of communities, assessing those needs and responding accordingly with programmes being offered by the government.

“Our government is built on the principle of service; what we want to do is be the greatest servant to you that we can be because the people of this country entrust us with their lives, with their family’s lives and the leadership of this country, and we see ourselves in a very honourable place as your greatest servant,” President Ali said.

The Ministry of Agriculture is set to launch a programme in the communities along the Demerara River, highlighting the priority needs of farmers after which officials will work to implement actions to resolve issues faced by farmers.

The ministry will assist farmers with clearing of lands for production by suppling both tractors and plows.

Meanwhile, officials attached to the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) acknowledged that there are some issues with delivery of water supply in some of the upper East Bank Demerara communities.

However, the official disclosed that works are being done to rectify these.

“We are currently rehabilitating the treatment plant, the foundation has already been started drilling a new well,” the official said.

Once those critical infrastructural projects are completed, the official said the quantity and quality of water in communities will be restored.