The Cabinet has mandated that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) conduct a study on squatting in Guyana. This was announced yesterday (Thursday) by Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson-Yearwood.
The minister, who has responsibility for housing, said that the study aims to resolve the issue of illegal land occupation across the country
According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the study will be done in collaboration with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and other agencies.
The minister underscored that this is in keeping with the government’s thrust to develop holistic housing solutions for citizens.
Minister Adams-Patterson-Yearwood reiterated that the government is working to make low-cost house lots and housing units available to the citizens, and urged persons to desist from the illegal practice of squatting.
Data collected by the CH&PA has recorded over 12,000 persons squatting. She noted, however, that this figure does not account for those persons that continue to rebuild on areas previously cleared.
Whilst CH&PA has been working to relocate persons living in zero tolerance areas, (government reserves) the authority has also been working with residents to regularise those settlements that are suitable for habitation. In 2017, the authority targeted the allocation of 400 house lots, DPI said.
On the matter of regularisation, CH&PA has been working in various communities, including in Angoy’s Avenue in Region Six and Middle Road, East La Penitence in Region Four. Angoy’s Avenue, the largest squatter settlement in Region Six had approximately 1,010 lots successfully regularised last year, DPI reported
