Good Hope squatters to be relocated to suitable area-President assures

President Bharrat Jagdeo meets with Good Hope squatters at the Office of the President to discuss plans for their relocation

Georgetown, GINA, September 06, 2005

President Bharrat Jagdeo today met representatives of squatters comprising about 30 families of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara.

The meeting was held at the Office of the President and was a follow-up to an earlier encounter the Head-of-State had with the families during his attendance at the commissioning ceremony for a new wood processing facility at Good Hope on Sunday last.

The President told the representatives today that Government will make efforts to relocate them to another area on the East Coast Demerara and that Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh, will meet with them at a later date to further discuss these plans.

The families had informed the President on Sunday that they had been occupying the land aback of the wood processing facility and near the seawall for over 10 years and wished to acquire titles.

However, President Jagdeo had said that the land was not suitable for housing as it was way too low and susceptible to flooding. He had also recalled the January/ February flood, when the area had been under water for too long, even longer than other low-lying areas on the East Coast.

He had contended that the area was more suitable for industrial purposes and had promised the residents that Government would assist them in relocating to a more suitable housing location.

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