Tag: Titles

Land titles for over 600 North Timehri residents, says President

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

For hundreds of families in North Timehri, the prospect of secure land ownership is now within reach. President Dr Irfaan Ali has pledged that within the next three to six months, residents will begin receiving the long-awaited titles that unlock opportunities for home improvement, financing and investment.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali gave his assurance to over 600 residents that the land regularisation process will be resolved soon, following years of negotiations.

The Head of State made the announcement at the Faith Tabernacle Church on Sunday, where he was invited for fellowship.

President Ali highlighted land security as a pressing issue, explaining that the government has been working with the CJIA to adjust its expansion plans, ensuring that residents in North Timehri could be protected and that nearly 650 families could receive land titles.

“Out of regularisation comes your ability to own land, to build, to get a loan, and to invest in your businesses,” the president told the gathering as he stressed the process’s significance.

By Tuesday, a verified list of 600-plus structures will be published for scrutiny, and by the end of next week these households will receive their official Letter of Assurance.

Notably, upon receiving their land documents, each household receiving titles will benefit from a steel and cement subsidy, a programme under the Ministry of Housing and Water to assist with construction.

“We are going to bring in the banks, and we are going to have a discussion with the banks on accepting a letter of assurance from us, so that they can commence the processing of your loans for your homes,” President Ali announced.

A group of key stakeholders will collaborate with local leaders to smoothly advance this process.

Recognising that many parents are in the workforce, President Ali also announced that a daycare facility originally planned for airport staff will be expanded to serve the entire community.

Apart from land security, residents in the area are set to benefit from employment opportunities, as the president detailed major investments around the CJIA, including the opening of a new hotel this month, a major resort nearby, and the construction of Terminal Two at CJIA.

To ensure residents benefit from this, the Head of State revealed that a technical education programme will be rolled out to train and upskill young people for these job opportunities.

“We are going to give these young people a small stipend while we train them, and we will provide transportation to take them to the training facility,” the president affirmed.

Residents will also benefit from the soon-to-be-established Business Development Bank, which will have a special financing window for small and medium-sized businesses.

The president emphasised that the government’s housing model aims not only to provide shelter but also to create wealth, pointing to the 500 new homes for single mothers in Yarrowkabra that now carry significantly higher market values. (DPI)

78 Walton Hall families granted land titles after decades-long wait

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

Seventy-eight families from Walton Hall, a village on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two, have become landowners after decades of waiting, as the government distributed land titles in a ceremony on Thursday.

The distribution exercise was led by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, at the Walton Hall Mandir.

Among the recipients was Sanita Singh, 50, who was visibly emotional as she received her transport document.

“I can now process a loan to build my own home. This has only been possible through the government and I’m so happy,” Singh said.

Another resident, Anthony Roopchan, said the title gave him pride and security.

“I feel proud as a father to own the land. I can pass this on to my children now. It would be nice to give them something of value,” he said.

Harry Persaud, also a beneficiary, said he was pleased to finally have legal documentation.

“I am very delighted to receive my transport,” he told the Department of Public Information. “I promise to uphold my obligation as a resident by paying my rates and taxes.”

With official land titles, residents can now access bank loans, sell land at higher value, transfer property to heirs, or gift it during their lifetimes—opportunities previously unavailable to them.

“After 80 years, you will get your land title. You are the first generation living on these lands who will be the recipient of a formal legal title,” Nandlall told residents.

He said the issue dated back to when the entire village was under the ownership of a now-defunct cooperative society. As the body became inactive and its members passed away, current occupants were left without formal ownership and deemed squatters.

To resolve this, the government fully subsidised the legal process, covering land surveying, valuation, and legal fees. Each plot, surveyed at a cost of $100,000, was financed by the State.

“There is no greater way of empowering a people than to give them legal ownership for lands that they occupy,” said the minister.

He added that the process is ongoing and urged more residents to come forward.

“The sooner persons come forward, the sooner they can feel that excitement of owning their lands, because it is a tedious process to reach this point,” he said.

To support residents, the newly opened Deeds and Commercial Registry building in Suddie has been made available for land ownership matters. (DPI)

Sanita Singh

Anthony Roopchan