Dear Editor,
The PPP/C administration’s focus continues to be people-centered based upon an understanding that development must be for all, especially given the unique opportunities that Guyana has seen in recent years. This approach is felt across sectors of the economy, and in particular, the housing programme which has been revitalized with the return of the PPP/C’s administration to office. Given the recent successful removal of the Mocha squatters, who were preventing the completion of the much-needed new East Bank Demerara highway, there has been an increased spotlight on the issue of squatting. Notwithstanding, there is the misplaced view being peddled by the APNU+AFC and certain political actors that squatting must be seen as the acceptable way as though it is an innate right for Guyanese to set up makeshift structures on private and state-owned lands for the purpose of squatting. This flawed view is being amplified by columnists and commentators such as the Stabroek News’ ‘The Minority Report’, which is penned by Akola Thompson.
Squatting is illegal and there can be no justification for doing so. Not surprisingly, the PNC-led opposition and columnists are dog-whistling with the narrative which suggests that only Afro-Guyanese are squatters and are disadvantaged from accessing financing. Persons who support this view are drawing upon outdated studies and reports, and they are equally culpable for encouraging families to remain impoverished by squatting in some of the most deplorable conditions. Since returning to office in 2020, President Irfaan Ali has delineated a pragmatic and inclusive agenda that addresses the decades-old issue of squatting through the opening up new lands for affordable housing development with accompanying infrastructure works to ensure roads, water and electricity are provided.
The President’s vision for building a massive new city along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway will see major pro-gress in 2023. The Government has designed a new initiative to assist Guyanese families, who own government or private lands to access financing and building their homes. Through the programme applicants can select from three pre-designed housing models of $7 million, $9 million and $12 million and pre-qualify for loans with financial institutions. Several banks are supporting the initiative that will also lend technical support to homeowners as homes will be built by contractors and monitored by engineers of the Central Housing and Planning Authority for quality control.
The PPP/C has a proven track record of addressing squatting. Currently, there are 175 areas that are identified by the Government for the purposes of regularisation and so far over 21,000 households have either been regularised or relocated to titled lands. Government’s thrust is to end squatting by providing avenues to legal homeownership.
Sincerely,
Kwame McKoy
