Gov’t moving ahead with land regularisation in Ann’s Grove, Clonbrook

The government has announced that it is moving forward with the regularisation of lands in Ann’s Grove and Clonbrook housing schemes, East Coast Demerara.

The announcement was made during a follow-up outreach led by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, on Saturday at the Ann’s Grove Secondary School.

He was accompanied by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, and Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), Enrique Monize.

During his remarks, Minister Nandlall reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing land issues that have affected residents for decades.

He emphasised that land ownership is an important form of empowerment for individuals, and the ongoing engagement highlights the value that the government places on addressing land-related matters.

“This engagement by our government is intended to bring real empowerment to the people who are affected in the communities of Clonbrook and Ann’s Grove,” he said.

The areas in question include Sertimer Scheme in Ann’s Grove and Clonbrook’s Doch Cab Scheme.  

In the Doch Cab area, around 187 lots are set to be regularised, with those individuals expected to receive Certificates of Title, while 190 households in Sertimer Scheme will be engaged.

Some of the lands in question are owned and managed by Co-operative Societies- the Two Friends and Doch Cab Co-operative Societies.

However, the attorney general said once the occupants are in possession of an agreement of sale, that document will be accepted and used to move ahead with the process of issuing titles.

“We will use that agreement of sale if you have one, to corroborate your occupation and your right to get the title…your occupation to the land will determine your entitlement to the title,” he clarified.

In order to fast-track the process, Minister Croal said the ministry’s Community Development Department will be conducting occupational surveys commencing next week.

The process will be completed within three days and immediately after, Minister Croal said the Central Housing and Planning Authority will commence the processing of the titles.

“We are not waiting on those that may have issues or need clarity. So, here is where we will need cooperation from the IMC [ Interim Management Committee] because once you have those documents, we will accept those and move quickly,” he told the residents.

Meanwhile, Minister Hamilton, whose ministry has jurisdiction over co-op societies, has stated his willingness to collaborate with the bodies to find a resolution to the issue of land ownership.

Once the regularisation issues are resolved, the minister said the co-ops can inform the ministry if they wish to continue as a body or be dissolved.

“If you want to be a co-op society then you have specific obligations- transparency, and accountability,” he told some of the members present at the meeting.

This meeting is a follow-up to a commitment made by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Hon. Mark Phillips during a Cabinet outreach held last Saturday in Ann’s Grove.