Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, issued keys to thirty new homeowners on January 28. The project was developed by the Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles, and engineers from the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s Projects Department.
The thirty squatters previously resided in makeshift dwellings along the East Bank Demerara River dam. Now they each own two-bedroom homes, measuring 600 square feet and featuring a living room, kitchen, and washroom area.
The homes are located at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, and provide safer living conditions. This is expected to enhance the well-being of the families.
The Ministry has been engaged with some 291 squatters on the sea dam at Herstelling, Farm, Covent Garden, Prospect, Diamond, Grove, and Friendship since 2021. Of this amount, over 50% of them have already received land allocations in housing schemes.
The seas dam they occupied are zero-tolerance squatting zones, as occupying them hinders access and drainage works.
Additionally, the proximity to the water body poses flooding risks and threatens the safety of the occupants.