26 Shieldstown families to receive land titles after decades-long wait

Twenty-six households from Shieldstown, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), are set to receive their land titles for properties they have been occupying for over two decades, bringing long-awaited relief to the community.

The announcement was made by the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, during a community meeting in the area on Tuesday.

The minister highlighted that this milestone represents a significant achievement for many families, as the regularisation process for Shieldstown began in 2014.

“We have been working to get this process finalised… [We are bringing] two decades of stress and fatigue to an end,” she underscored.

A team from the ministry will return to the community next Wednesday to facilitate the sign-up process, allowing residents to secure their ownership documents.

Since 2020, the government has been actively addressing squatting issues across the country and has regularised over 175 squatter settlements nationwide, some dating back to the 1990s.

“There are other areas where we have to relocate people. And we are doing that as well…We are working hard every day to ensure that we deliver on our mandate,” Minister Rodrigues noted.

These efforts have significantly improved the standard of living for many families, enabling them to access loans for home upgrades or start business ventures.

Regional Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal, Member of Parliament, Faizal Jaffarally, Director of the Community Development Department at the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Gladwin Charles, and other technical officers from the ministry were also present at the meeting.