Private developers who are in possession of hundreds of acres of land in prime areas on the East Bank of Demerara were urged to start, or in some cases, resume works or the government will take action.
GINA said that this warning came as Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, yesterday visited several commercial zones and housing development areas along the East Bank of Demerara.
Scott visited areas handed out to private developers under the previous government. These include Caricom Insurance, Windsor Estate, Bai Shan Lin, Courtney Benn, Richmondville, Nabi and Sons, B.K. International, Dax and Odinga Lumumba.
The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of development that is taking place in some of the private developers’ areas, especially at Bai Shan Lin, Nabi, Dax and Caricom Insurance, since these areas were allocated to the investors since 2011.
In the case of Bai Shan Lin, work has been stalled for over two years.
GINA said that Scott immediately requested a meeting with the head of the project tomorrow since there wasn’t anyone on site who spoke English. He said that the company will have to explain why there was no progress within the last three years, “The Ministry will see where, according to the agreement, clauses which we can implement. There might be (a) 25 per cent fine that we may be able to attach as a penalty for them not developing the lands. When we give people land, it is not to speculate but for them to suit the aspirations of the Guyanese people,” Scott emphasised.
At the Dax site, there was only one house up with construction almost completed. Scott said that more needs to be done in terms of having the necessary infrastructure in place. The company promised to start work immediately and promised that within the next six months, there will be progress.
Minister Within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott (left) engaging a representative from Dax (GINA photo)
On the issue of persons attaining these lands and selling the lots instead of developing it, Minister Scott pointed out that it is against the principle of development. He explained that there is that part of the agreement where the developers must install internal drains, water and electricity, and build houses within a given time.
