After a wait of more than five decades residents of Old Kara Kara and Rainbow City in Linden have received titles to the land where they reside.
Years ago, in the early days of the bauxite industry, residents who now occupy plots of lands at Kara Kara and Rainbow City, lived at Speightland, Mackenzie. The management of the then Demerara Bauxite Company (DEMBA) had relocated residents to allow for the construction of the now defunct Alumina Plant.
Fifty-two years had passed and the relocated residents were not given titles to the land despite desperate efforts. Thirteen of those residents were recently presented with their titles by the Linden Community Development Association (LCDA) which was the legal owner of the land. LCDA was established by DEMBA in 1969 and were responsible for the Kara Kara Housing Scheme.
According to chairman of the LCDA Horace James several attempts were made over the years to furnish residents with the titles but were met with many challenges. He said that in 1981 the requests were denied because the relevant authorities said the areas did not meet the criteria necessary for residential status.
“Over the years they areas were developed with the necessary infrastructure including roads and drainage which have met the requirements…,” James said.
The process was also delayed since the committee had to conduct several community meetings to establish the rightful owners of the properties on the plots of lands. Only thirteen residents completed the full process of acquiring their compliances from the local authority and their TIN from the Guyana Revenue Authority. James urged the remaining fifty-two residents to acquire those two vital documents so as to speed up the process of being furnished with their titles.
