Jagdeo gives Cummings Lodge squatters break on house lots
Stabroek News
April 27, 2003
Last week's protest by squatters of Block 'Y' Cummings Lodge has paid off with President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday announcing a new pricing structure for house lots.
Residents had last week received letters informing them that they had to pay one-third of $123,000 for their lots. This resulted in the residents bearing placards in front of the Ministry of Housing's Brickdam office on Wednesday.
The President said yesterday while on a visit to the area that a 3,200 square foot plot of land costs $58,000, but the government was willing to offer up to 4,000 sqft for the same price. Plots from 4,000 to 5,000 sqft will be sold for $67,000; 5,000 to 6,000 sqft will cost $76,000; 6,000 to 7,000 - $85,000; and 7,000 to 7,200 - $94,000.
Jagdeo visited the East Coast community with Housing Minister Shaik Baksh and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon.
Jagdeo sought to give an explanation of the land situation at Cummings Lodge, stating that the land still belonged to Guysuco. He outlined that $60M would be raised once the land was sold at these prices. "We have to take $40M of the $60M and give it back to Guysuco," the President noted. The $20M that remains would be used to build roads, bridges and drainage, he added. This amount would be advanced in order to accelerate the process of infrastructure development.
The Community Development Committee (CDC) will decide the areas of priority for the disbursement of funds.
The President told the residents that the Government was willing to work with them in making application to the Social Impact Amelioration Programme (SIMAP) for the funding of community projects.
Guysuco had sold the land for $1.9M to a private developer from whom it had to repurchase it at a cost of $40M.
