Emotions run high as Lima Sands, Essequibo residents receive land titles

There were emotional scenes on Friday morning as some residents of Lima Sands on the Essequibo Coast received titles to lands they have occupied for years.

A total of 48 tiles were presented by Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water at State House.

Damadai Singh, one of those who received her title after waiting for more than twenty years, was emotional and embraced Minister Rodrigues.

The Minister had initiated the process for the processing of titles last year April, but she said several factors stalled the process. Erroneous plans and the growing issue of squatting compounded the process.

“It made it difficult to have a conclusive plan, but we persevered and we stayed faithful to our commitment and today the first set of titles, 48 titles will be handed out today,” Rodrigues said at the outreach Friday at State House.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority said titles for other areas can now be processed; The areas as Henrietta, Coffee Grove, Richmond, La Belle Alliance, Lima, Fear Not, Sparta, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court.

According to Minister Rodrigues, after today’s activity, the processing of titles will continue at Regional Office.

Altogether, more than six hundred residents will now be able to get their Certificate of Title once the verification process is complete.

Meanwhile, at Saturday’s outreach, an estimated 70 persons were able to uplift their Cement and Steel Vouchers as the distribution process continued in the region.