Govt to distribute land titles to Timehri residents in two weeks

Residents of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, are set to receive land titles within the next two weeks, securing legal ownership of lands they have been occupying for years.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made this announcement during a community engagement at Timehri Base Road on Friday afternoon.

The squatter settlement has about 400 households. The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) has advanced the process of regularising the area.

“I am very pleased to tell you that with our aggressive work, within two weeks time I will be back right here to hand out titles for persons within the squatter settlement,” the president said.

President Ali, however, highlighted that out of the 400 households in the area only 43 have process their application for regularisation.

“You need to come forward so we can get this process going,” he told the gathering.

The regularisation exercise will pave the way for critical infrastructure works to be undertaken including roads and drainage.

Additionally, he mentioned the ongoing efforts to regularise Timehri North and plans to completing that process before the end of the year.

At Hauraruni, Soesdyke, about 800 lots are being legalised.

President Ali also announced plans to tackle the regularisation of all the squatting areas along Timehri and Soesdyke.

He said the Ministry of Housing and Water along with the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission to work together to come up with a list of all the unregularised households in those areas. Those that can be regularised, their titles or transports will be processed and handed over within six months.

For those that cannot be regularised, President Ali said, “the Ministry of Housing will take your information and you will be part of the development that we are ongoing to ensure that you live in good conditions.”

Meanwhile, the residents had the opportunity to raise concerns, most of which were related to agriculture, drainage and irrigation, roads, electricity and water, as well as the need for street lights and recreational facilities.

In response, the head of state said officers from the respective ministries led by the Permanent Secretaries will return to the community on Saturday to conduct a complete analyst of all the issues raised.

“They will bring it back to me and within one week, they are going to come back right here to outline to you the course of action that we’ll take all right,” he emphasised. President Ali explained that his engagement with communities is very important to delivering good governance, noting that the aim is to integrate every citizen into the policies and programmes of the government.

“So, these outreaches and these meetings across the country is aimed at understanding from all of you directly, how you see things. What are some of the things that challenge you in the communities, what are some of your priorities, and how we can better enable you to be structurally integrated into the many programmes that the government is offering,” he stated.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing communities to enhance citizens’ quality of life, and ensuring they experience the joy of living in comfortable communities that support the growth and well-being of families and children.