113 more Berbicians get land title certificates
Guyana Chronicle
February 2, 2004
ANOTHER 113 Berbicians have been presented with titles to the land on which they have built their own homes.
Minister of Housing and Water Mr. Shaik Baksh distributed the 113 certificates of title to the recipients at Corriverton Primary School on Friday last. He also inspected works in several villages.
Residents of Area BB Corriverton, Berbice, or Little Africa as it is commonly called, have expressed satisfaction with receiving certificates of title.
Minister Baksh stated that it is satisfying to see that people are eager to push development in their area. He noted that Government is moving to ensure that residents have titles in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) so that they could improve their lives. With the certificates of title or letters of allocation, allottees could now do their conveyancing so that they could receive titles to their land.
Minister Baksh said Government has implemented several initiatives to assist in the housing drive, including the reduction of the conveyancing fee. Allottees would only pay $8,000 since the fee was reduced from $12,000. And instead of paying the entire amount at once as was previously required, people can now pay $4,000 to start processing the title, while they have another three months to pay the remainder.
Residents are usually given 12 months to construct their houses after payment is completed.
Minister Baksh urged allottees to come forward and have their conveyancing done so that they could have their titles. He said within three to four months allottees could receive their titles.
Government, in an effort to ensure that Guyanese have adequate land to enhance their lives, has embarked on a squatter regularization programme. There are approximately 145 squatter settlements countrywide and to date 114 areas have been incorporated under this programme. An additional 15 will be added this year.