Commission of Inquiry into land ownership appointed

President David Granger yesterday appointed six of the seven members of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into Land Ownership.

This Commission is tasked with examining and making recommendations to resolve all the issues and uncertainties surrounding the individual, joint or communal ownership of land acquired by freed Africans; claims of Amerindian land titling; and other matters relative to land titling.

The commission is being chaired by Reverend George Chuck-a-Sang, who was sworn-in yesterday along with David James, Carol Khan-James, Professor Rudolph James, Lennox Caleb and Berlinda Persaud. The seventh member, Paulette Henry, was absent from the swearing in at State House due to urgent personal matters.

From left: Mr. Lennox Caleb, Mr. David James, Ms. Carol Khan-James, President David Granger, Rev. George Chuck-A-Sang, Ms. Belinda Persaud and Professor Rudolph James after the swearing-in ceremony at State House. (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

In a brief address, Granger explained that the CoI is meant to settle all controversies originating from disagreement over ownership of land so as to satisfy all of the citizens of this country, “that we need not fight each other for land; that we will investigate their claims and we will respond to their just demands.”