I do not trust the integrity of the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Vreed-en-Hoop office  

Dear Mr. Editor,

I wish to bring your attention to the worrying situation explained below and seek speedy resolution by the relevant authorities.

In 2017 I commenced building my house at Schoonard West Bank Demerara. Upon preparation of the land it was discovered that the occupant on the lot before me erected an old wooden structure to the back on a section of my land. The husband of the land owner acknowledged that the structure is on my land and said he will be removing it since it is temporary and he will commence building his actual house shortly. Sometime after, he removed the pall and came to me saying that the section of land is actually his, claiming that Housing measured the boundaries incorrectly. He even proceeded to erect a shed and fence as well as planted fruit trees on the disputed area.

On Friday July 24, 2020, I received a call from the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Vreedenhoop office informing me that their Surveyors were in the area on the said day and it was discovered the encroaching land owner is approximately sixteen feet (16ft) on my land, a pall was inserted to reflect this. It was also discovered that the encroaching land owner has to shift his fence five (5) feet towards the neighbour on his left lot, a pall is there reflecting this. The Regional Housing Officer (RHO) of Region Number Three invited me to a meeting on Monday July 27, 2020, but the encroaching land over did not show up for the meeting, but via a telephone call asked for time to move. At that meeting the RHO informed me that an eviction notice will be served.

The irony of this matter is that the lot to the left of the encroaching land owner belongs to the RHO. Sometime back this man was told that he has his makeshift fence on RHO’s land and he was forced to remove it to the extent that his water connection is now out of the area of his new fence. Based on the surveyor’s recent demarcation, approximately five feet (5ft) of land that the RHO claimed is hers actually belongs to the encroaching land owner. The RHO recently commenced building her house which is about four (4) feet from her correct boundary. Instead of the encroaching land owner reclaiming his five (5) of land that the RHO had previously bullied him off of, the pall was removed five (5) feet back on my land once more and it was alleged that the ‘housing people’ moved back.

After several weeks of following up with the RHO, I was asked to once more visit the Vreedenhoop office for an update. To my enragement, the RHO along with the Assistant RHO told me that this is a private matter since I was already issued my land title. I was told to hire a private surveyor and tell the people to remove from my land. Upon enquiry the two officers also told me that the encroaching land owner does not have a title for his land since he has not completed paying for it.

I am kindly asking that relevant authorities look into this matter since I do not trust the integrity of the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Vreed-en-hoop office.

Yours faithfully,
Telesha Whyte