THE residents of the squatting community of Andy Ville, Linden,Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice), were recently assured by Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Trevor Benn, that their community will soon be regularised. But he warned that they would have to make the necessary changes to accommodate the process.

The residents were faced with the harsh reality that for the community to be regularised, some properties had to be torn down to facilitate the process. Benn paid a visit to the community two Sundays ago after residents had complained of not being able to access potable water and electricity because the community has not been regularised.

Benn reminded the community that their action of squatting is illegal and will bear the consequences. He stressed that the current layout of the community does not meet the minimum standards for regularisation and for that to be met, the residents need to agree to have their properties removed if needed.

“ In order for a community to be established, you have certain minimum standards you have to have a certain road with sizes, sizes of houselots, etc etc; what we are seeing here on the ground to date does not allow for regularisation of the community. If we are going to be able to regularise the community, some people will have to move, in order for us to have the roadway that is necessary to allow the Central Board of Health to clear this area as a community. Going forward, we have to have roads of a certain width, we have to have houselots of a certain size, the way people have occupied on the ground, it does not allow for that,” Benn stressed.

Changes needed
Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira also cautioned residents that maximum changes will have to be made to accommodate regularisation and they need to seriously think it through.

“This is a hard decision and tough decision to make, so it’s not just by hurriedly raising your hands but understanding the reality that is going to come with regularization; some persons’ houses will have to be destroyed for a road to go, some persons’ fence that is in a particular way will have to be destroyed, that is the reality of regularisation,” Figueira said.

He also contended that the squatting area was initially an industrialised zone and residents will have to face the consequences of choosing to live there. Deputy Director of the Community Development Council, Sandra Adams, also speaking at the meeting told residents that if their properties have to be destroyed, there is no guarantee that government will finance its rebuilding.

After listening to the deliberations, President of the community’s Community Development Council, Michael Green ,speaking on behalf of the residents said that they are ready to make the necessary steps to have the community regularised and will cooperate with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.

“Is better to have something that to have nothing, if we don’t come to that agreement it simply means that this place would be just an industrial area and all of us will have to move, so it is a simple understanding that everyone has to come to say if me house gah move I will get another piece of land and do something,” he reasoned.

He said that it is the desire of the residents to live legally and it was not intentional that they have participated in squatting. He asked the authorities to assist them in the process as was promised during the elections period.

“We are simply asking the people of the higher authorities, to see how best they can help us. Humbly, we are not bombarding no one, we are not coming down on anyone we are humbly asking for assistance.”

Benn after receiving the agreement of the people, said that Lands and Surveys will commence an occupational survey which will be followed by the designing process. This he said will commence by December 1. He asked that the residents exercise patience as the process is a time- consuming one. Benn also warned that no one should squat henceforth, as the process will be halted.

It has been 20 years since the first person began squatting in the area and for many others it has been a decade long since they have been requesting these two necessities. To date, there are about 125 households and about 300 houselots in the area.