Regularisation on the horizon for Vigilance squatters’ settlement
DPI, Guyana, Friday, October 25, 2019
The government has committed to working with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 4 and the Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to ascertain how and when a squatting community in Vigilance on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) could be regularised.
A community meeting attended by Minister of Public Service, Hon. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley and Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, heard the calls from the residents in the community.
According to inhabitants, their living conditions have been far from manageable due to the community not being regularised.
Director-General Harmon noted that an analysis of the area was needed to have the area regularised. “We will definitely have to have a survey, it might have been done already, but I think the people who are here, the overseers, engineers, regional chairs are officials and will be able to shed some light but we have to regularise.”
He said while some amount of work has been carried out, much developmental work could not have been done due to the community not being regularised.
“We will have to look at all of these things and take into careful consideration what you have said. There may be some short-term decisions which we can make, which will bring immediate relief, but ultimately, it is the long term we will have to look at how best these communities can be regularised.”
Minister of Public Service, Hon. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley said much more has to be done to ensure that the resources provided for in the national benefit, reach the community.