Ministry clears squatters at Liliendaal
Stabroek News
January 17, 2003
About 70 per cent of the shacks and pickets put down by squatters on a plot of land at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara have been dismantled says Minister of Housing, Shaik Baksh.
At a press conference yesterday, Baksh said a combined team of 34 persons from the Ministry of Housing and Guysuco embarked on a dismantling exercise recently and were able to tear down most of the land markers and shacks. He said Guysuco has agreed to put up notices on the site and also to erect barbed wire around the land. The plot is said to be owned by Guysuco and on Sunday, management of the corporation had published a notice, in the newspapers warning the squatters to vacate the land and follow the established procedure for accessing house lots by applying to the Ministry of Housing. The land is earmarked for the development of a convention centre and an international hotel.
But up to yesterday afternoon there were still some squatters on the land standing near their tents and shacks. The minister had also extended an invitation for the squatters to meet with him and other housing officials, but only 50 persons out of an estimated 900 squatters turned up.
Baksh said of the 50 persons, 35 had never made applications for house lots. However, all of them were made to fill out application forms and according to the minister those applications would be processed by the end of the month based upon the needs of the applicants. At least five of the 50 persons had already been allocated house lots.
He mentioned that his ministry had initial reports which stated that the squatting attempt was an organised activity and that several persons were asked to pay instalments to the organisers.
He said, "there was clear evidence of them trying to defraud the people, but I am urging all to desist from this land grabbing activity that's going on."
Squatters have also been encroaching on a piece of land at Sophia belonging to the PNCR. The party had instructed them to stop putting down markers and it appears this warning is being heeded.
