With just a few days left before the end of 2018, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) on Monday looked back at its achievements and challenges through this past year and the challenges the body continues to face.
In his address to media operatives, Commissioner of the GLSC, Trevor Benn highlighted the issue of squatting on land reserves and other open spaces, which continues to affect the work of the commission.
In relation to squatting, reference was made to the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, an area which has seen unlawful occupation of land, which continues to rise.
Benn also mentioned the Commission’s continued efforts to repossess lands for non-performing leases.
The repossession comes at a cost and as such, the Commissioner signaled that stakeholders should be well-prepared before applying.
Meanwhile, with regards to the agency’s accomplishments for this year, it has managed to complete pending audits up to the year 2012.
Next year will see the completion of up to 2015, giving the expectation that all reports will be finished by January 2020.
Also, a “limited budget” is the “biggest constraint” being faced by the Commission, having been subjected to $313M in the 2019 budget with their estimated expenditures surpassing $1.5B.
However up to November, 30, 97 percent of the estimated $850M was collected for 2018.
