Approximately 150 households within the Tuschen North, East Bank Essequibo area are expected to benefit from ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Housing to address land tenure, regularisation and relocation matters.
Earlier today, Minister of Housing Collin Croal visited the Sea View Nursery School to engage residents and provide updates on the steps being taken to resolve their concerns. The engagement followed a commitment made by President Dr Irfaan Ali during a recent meeting in the area.
Minister Croal was accompanied by Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles; Regional Housing Officer, Oshana Miggings; and other technical officers.
Omesh Yogashur, Network Operations Manager at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc., was also present to address electricity-related concerns of the residents.
During the meeting, the Minister provided updates on several areas, including Wrong Turn, Area J and the Sea Defence reserve.
Minister Croal recalled that residents had previously brought the situation at Wrong Turn to his attention and that he had committed to returning to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing households there.
Preliminary information indicates that the land is owned by a church and does not fall under the ownership of the Ministry of Housing.
As such, the Ministry will first have to engage the lawful owners before determining the most appropriate course of action.
“Once we establish ownership, we will explore the available options. Preliminary work must also be done to determine the level of occupancy,” Minister Croal explained.
He advised residents that resolving the situation may involve relocation and emphasised that their cooperation would be essential to ensuring the process progresses smoothly.
The Minister committed to providing an update by the end of August.
Meanwhile, Area J will be regularised. The Minister explained that while an occupancy survey has already been completed and preliminary work undertaken, additional verification is required.
A verification team will return to the area on Tuesday to begin this exercise. Once it is completed, the Ministry will move forward with processing ownership documents for eligible residents.
Addressing the concerns of households occupying the sea defence reserve, Minister Croal said initial engagements have already been conducted. He explained that, in keeping with the established policy for sea defence reserves, affected households will have to be relocated.
Residents who have not yet submitted housing applications were urged to do so, as this is necessary for the Ministry to assess their eligibility and begin planning for their relocation.
After wrapping up the engagement with residents, the Minister and team did a walkabout in the area to get a better understanding of what obtains on the ground.
Minister Croal reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to working with residents and relevant stakeholders to arrive at solutions that provide greater security and improved living conditions for affected families.
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