Investing in Squatter settlements, not sustainable -President Ali

Speaking at the opening of a two-day event organised by the Ministry of Housing and Water for new house lot applicants and those receiving titles, the President outlined his government's plans for the housing sector.

Investing in Squatter settlements, not sustainable  -President Ali

While squatters are being flooded off of Guysuco lands at Success, President Irfaan Ali today called on those squatters to do the right thing, adding that squatter settlements are not sustainable.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day event organised by the Ministry of Housing and Water for new house lot applicants and those receiving titles, the President outlined his government’s plans for the housing sector.

He said the government will be focused on developing more housing communities across the country that are sustainable.

On the issue of the squatters at Success who are being forced off of state lands, President Ali said the government wants them to own their own lands but they must go about getting those lands the right way.

“Let me say to my brothers and sisters in Success who we have reached out to on many occasions, it is not that we want you to be dislodged in the area. We want you to own your own homes too, that is why we sent the housing teams so many times to see you but there is the right way of doing things and the wrong way and in Guyana, we have to get accustomed to doing things the right way. Otherwise we will be developing communities that are not sustainable”, President Ali said.

In making a call for Guyanese to go about the right way in getting ownership of lands, the President said there is little to no value in developing squatter settlements.

He said “if you invest $5million in a squatter settlement, there is no value since it cannot be used as collateral. If you invest it in a structured scheme, there is value and you can capitalise that for more than $5million”.

The President noted that the government will also focus on housing development in outlying and hinterland regions.

Despite coronavirus concerns, thousands of persons gathered this morning at the National Stadium to file applications and inquire about previous applications.

The Housing Ministry has made it clear that the event which wraps up tomorrow is primarily for first-time house lot applicants and persons who have to uplift their land titles after their names were recently published.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login