Squatting – An Embarrassing Problem In Guyana
The housing situation in Guyana is ridiculously embarrassing, and addressing the squatting problem has been long overdue. It’s beyond sickening to see citizens bulldozed, tear-gassed, and shot with pellets guns.
The former president once said that “Guyana land space can serve as a gift to the Caribbean,” because of its 91.5 percent land space. You would think that each citizen would have the right to a land title, but now the question is, why do citizens squat? Did anyone ever take a moment to think about how this may have intensified the situation in Guyana under the PPP/C regime over the last 23 years?
Does anyone think the Ministry of Housing is at fault here? Try applying for a piece of land and see how complicated this process can be. It’s a bloody nightmare. Applying for land can take up to a decade before someone is granted the land’s right or title. So why is this system so long and drawn and out? It’s a situation that many Guyanese people don’t seem to understand. Imagine having to wait ten years before the application is approved. Where do you expect applicants to live? And what alternative is in place?
In addition to this situation, how can we say that squatting is illegal when several communities in Guyana were developed as a result of squatting? Guyanese squat as a means to force the government or Ministry to speed up the application process. I believe it is unfair and heart-rending to see people with financial independence acquiring acres of land for private and personal use. Simultaneously, citizens living in Guyana continue to suffer at the hands of a corrupted government because they lack financial freedom.
Looking back at the past 23-years, we have seen an increase in squatting in Guyana. A report shows that over 150 squatting settlements were developed under the PPP/C rule, and no subsequent strategy was developed to appease the situation. It’s time to finally put an end to this madness and compel the government to work towards reducing the application processing time so that citizens can have a place to call home in the most traditional sense.
Revenue from the oil industry puts Guyana in a better place to address the local and urgent issues facing the country. So why is the government allocating billions of dollars to revive a dying sugar industry where there is no international market while still neglecting the need for better housing? Attacking citizens with no relocation plan raises serious concerns, especially when the world is going through a severe pandemic.
Many have lost their jobs and have no way of providing for themselves. The timing of this is dangerous and only adds to the many other problems that the country has done a poor job in addressing. Ignoring the plight of its citizens shows where the government’s interest lies; not in the people but in those with close ties with corruption. People in Guyana desperately need help, and it’s time that squatters are given priority.
The government should consult with the Ministry in the fast-tracking applicant’s application. The squatting on GUYSUCO lands is out of control and is critically in need of government intervention. It’s an urgent need that the National Squatter Commission help citizens relocate immediately. There is a massive demand for housing in Guyana, and it needs to be treated with the sense of urgency that it deserves.