Gov’t ‘disturbed’ at illegal grabbing of land

[www.inewsguyana.com] – A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government says it is disturbed at recent reports of illegal and unauthorized grabbing of land in some communities.

A press statement from the coalition government noted that that President David Granger has not authorized any of these illegal activities and is urging those involved not to be misled by persons who “may have encouraged these actions and rest assured that all Guyanese will be given fair and equitable access to land under the new governments’ land distribution policy.”

According to the statement, the Police and other lawful authorities have been instructed to maintain peace and good order in all locations where attempts have been made to stake illegal claims to land.

iNews had reported that some Guyanese across the country have started a new trend of illegally squatting on lands that have been purchased by other citizens.

This trend began only days before the APNU+AFC coalition was about to take public office and form the new government. The land grabbing is taking place in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara where residents have taken up space that was officially leased to Members of the Lusignan Dairy Farmers Services Cooperative Society Limited (LDFSCSL) for a 50 year period in 2003.

They have set up pickets to demarcate plots of land on the pasture that they intend to use for the building of their homes.