Following strong resistance from residents and an order by the Head of State, David Granger the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has canceled its plans to relocate some 49 families from the Broad and Lombard Streets squatting area to Barnwell, which is located behind Mocha on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).
“Barnwell was deemed an inappropriate location because of the soil condition there. Additionally, the residents of the Mocha/Arcadia, we did get some resistance from the residents and His Excellency, the President, has asked that he put the project on hold pending the outcome of the COI on ancestral lands,” the Chief Executive Officer of the CH&PA, Lelon Saul told reporters on Tuesday, February 6, 2018.
The majority of the residents living in Mocha were against the move, which they claimed was made unilaterally.
The residents also contended that the proposed area for housing development is ancestral lands.
Following the resistance, the Minister with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood declared that she cannot allow Mocha residents to dictate whether the squatters will move into their community.
Nonetheless, Saul said the relocation exercise to Barnwell will no longer take place and a new location at Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown is being examined.
The Sophia squatters who were being removed will also be relocated to the Cummings Lodge area.
The CH&PA had initially moved to demolish the squatting homes but following much controversy decided to provide housing units for those squatters.
