Minister Harmon asks for affordable domestic lands

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Minister of State Joseph Harmon has urged the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC) to be thoughtful of Guyanese seeking lands for domestic use, recommending that the rent, for such, be at an affordable cost.

He made the call, last Friday, whilst addressing GL&SC staffers at its Visioning Retreat held at the Impeccable Banquet Hall on Brickdam. Minister Harmon, while urging the Commission to continue finding creative ways to improve its revenue base, said it should do so without having to increase land rent for domestic use.

“I ask that you find creative ways especially as it relates to domestic use. I believe that we should always try to find ways that our people have access to land, that is cheap and that is reasonable.”

Minister Harmon stressed that he was not putting a “caveat” on the commission in relation to commercial lands, “but certainly lands for domestic use I ask that you pay careful attention to that so that the small man is not burdened, by high renting fees.”

Meanwhile, the Minister drew attention to the growing incidences of marijuana cultivation across the country.  According to him, it is found that much of the cultivation is being done on state lands. He said in instances where the illegal act is done on private lands, the law requires that those leases should be cancelled.

“Where these large cultivations of marijuana are found by the police, the lands on which they are cultivated, I’m asking that you repossess them and reissue to persons who want to do legitimate agricultural activity”, Minister Harmon posited.

He also stressed on the issue of the illegal occupation of state reserves, which often causes delays with government projects, including plans for infrastructural expansion and development. He said the Commission must therefore, be firm in its resolve to correct these anomalies and ensure that there is an end to the illegal occupation of state and local authorities reserves.

Land rights he said also remains a burning issue and an obstacle to achieving the ‘good life’ for many citizens. He reminded, “At the individual level, the flawed policies of the previous administration has left much confusion with regard to house lot allocation, with more than one person having title to the same land and several persons having several house lots and state land leases, while many others have been waiting for years for an allocation.”

 

By: Alexis Rodney

 

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