THE government has intensified efforts to advance land regularisation in “Tract K,” Anna Catherina, Region Three, as part of its national Operation Clear-up programme.
On Wednesday, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, and Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Vickash Ramkisoon, met with residents to provide updates on the process. They were accompanied by Director of Community Development at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Gladwin Charles, and a technical team.
Operation Clear-up, announced earlier this year by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, seeks to resolve long-standing land tenure issues and provide eligible residents with ownership documents. Minister Croal assured residents that the exercise will be managed in a “structured and transparent manner,” aimed at giving families security of tenure.
Tract K was first developed in 1977 as the Sea View Housing Co-operative. While many original occupants have received titles, CH&PA is now regularising remaining lands identified as public open space under Cadastral Plan #18007.
Progress has already been made on Lot 68, where land has been subdivided into 11 lots and allocations and payments have commenced. For Lot 69, which houses nine families, surveys revealed that some households are straddling the Sea Defence Reserve, while Lot 70 showed two households also encroaching on the reserve. The CH&PA has since engaged the Sea and River Defence Board, which is expected to issue guidance on the matter by Friday.
Additionally, officials highlighted that 43 households currently occupy the Sea Defence Reserve — a zero-tolerance zone given its critical role in protecting coastal communities from flooding and erosion. Applications for alternative house lots have been distributed to these residents, with 19 already completed.
Minister Croal emphasised the government’s responsibility to preserve the reserve while assisting affected families, noting that relocation may be necessary in some cases. “The Sea Defence is vital to safeguarding both the households and the wider population,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister Ramkisoon called on residents to fully cooperate with CH&PA officials. “The regularisation process can only succeed if all households actively participate,” he stressed.
The CH&PA technical team is expected to return to the community tomorrow for further engagement with residents.