The Ministry of Housing and Water has issued land titles to some of the squatters at Pigeon Island, East Coast Demerara as part of ongoing efforts to eventually regularise the community.
The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) in a release on Friday, informed that the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues had issued Certificates of Title to the first sixteen of some forty-four persons who were squatting at Pigeon Island. This it said, is in keeping with a commitment made by President Irfaan Ali to deliver the documents by yearend.
Among those present at the ceremony which took place at the Life Spring Ministries Multi-purpose Hall, Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara, were CPHA Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles, along with other officials from CHPA. The activity also follows the registration of the squatters for their Titles, just two weeks ago.
According to the release, some of the recipients have been occupying the area as far back as the 1980s. Efforts to regularise Pigeon Island were made since 2002, including a review of the area in 2015 by President Ali, during his tenure as the Minister of Housing and Water. However, the process stalled under the APNU+AFC administration, but was revived in 2020 under President Ali.
Rodrigues highlighted the distribution as a significant achievement for the government and Pigeon Island residents. She noted the government’s intention to “empower” people by issuing a document, whether it is an allocation letter, an Agreement of Sale, or a Title or Transport.
“From that [document], many avenues open up for families. Yes, you have security in the sense that you have a roof over your head that you own, you don’t have to fear especially our senior citizens that if something happens to them the family property or home will be in jeopardy.”
The minister also pointed out that when the PPP/C administration took office in 1992 over 200 squatting areas were identified and since then, some 158 of these communities have since been regularised. She urged residents in other areas to cooperate with the government so as to make further progress in this regard. Concerning the overall housing sector Rodrigues noted that the government is accelerating the development of house lots and the construction of housing units, and that infrastructure works will be advanced. Beneficiaries at Friday’s exercise were delighted to receive their Land Titles. Deomattie Laljie said that she and her family (including eight children) began living in the area approximately thirty-four years ago in a cramped 10 x 20 foot home and were always fearful of building due to land ownership issues. The family has since upgraded their home and is happy to close this chapter of their life.
“I am so happy because we were always discriminated by people saying that we are not entitled to this [and] we are not entitled to that. […] I want to thank the President for delivering on his promise and Minister Susan for her extraordinary work that she put in,” Laljie said.
Kamani Sukhu, a mother of two, also shared, “My kids are very excited because they know in the long run nobody will have to come and tell them ‘well you have to move’ or they will have to break your house down.”
Sukhu and her family now plan to make some minor repairs on her home to enjoy a more comfortable shelter.
To accommodate persons who were unable to receive their documents on Friday, the Ministry will facilitate the processing on a later date, the release added.
