Attorney General Anil Nandlall believes the recent decision by the High Court to dismiss an application bya group of squatters who were forced off state land in Mocha Arcadia, justifies the Government’s position that the state had all the rights over the properties.
During his weekly, “Issues in the News” broadcast, Mr. Nandlall made it clear that squatters have no rights and said he believes those who challenged the Government in Court did so for political reasons.
He said the ruling should serve as a lesson to other squatters.
“They failed dismally to establish any legal rights, title or interest in the land and as a result, the state was completely justified in taking steps to remove them and their buildings and erections from the state’s land. That is law of Guyana and that is the law of any other country,” the Attorney General stated.
In addition to losing the Court case, the Court also awarded costs to the state in the sum of $2 million.
Nandlall said persons who are currently squatting on state lands should take note of the Court’s ruling.
“You do not necessarily need an order from the Court to remove a squatter from your land, you can do so by self-help, and the law confers upon you that legal authority and power and protects you as well from any in action that may be filed in relation to the steps that you would have taken to remove trespassers from the land,” Mr. Nandlall noted.
The Attorney General also pointed out that the Court matter could have been avoided if the squatters had taken the Government’s offer.
He said the Government took the soft approach initially by offering compensation because it was well-estbalished that the residents had no rights to the lands.
According to the Attorney General, the residents also did not take into consideration that they were also prevented from acquiring prescriptive titles, based on amendments in the state lands Act.
“It underscores the importance of persons observing the laws, it underscores the importance of persons not being misled by politicians, it underscores significantly that squatters have no legal rights to the land to which they are squatting,” the Attorney General stated.
The Ministry of Housing and Water had offered houses in the Little Diamond Housing Scheme to the squatters, while warning that their homes would be demolished if they did not remove from the path of the major road project.
While some accepted the Government’s offer, others refused and their homes were eventually demolished.
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