The Village Voice Newspaper is currently conducting a land ownership survey in Guyana, and the preliminary results have highlighted a concerning issue affecting several citizens across multiple regions. According to the survey, African property owners have reported instances of surveys being carried out on their transported lands without their knowledge or consent. One survey respondent shared that “it appears that if your property is unoccupied, it could be taken away from you, even if you pay your rates and taxes.”
This revelation is alarming as it implies that African property owners in Guyana may not have adequate legal protection over their land. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that in some cases, neighbors are applying for prescriptive rights over unoccupied land, further complicating matters for property owners.
The issue of land ownership in Guyana is complex and has a long history of disputes and controversies. The country has a diverse population with various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and land ownership has been a contentious issue for many decades. Recently, the government has faced criticism for dispossessing African Guyanese of their lands and other property. Many of these cases are currently making their way through the judicial system.
The Village Voice survey aims to gather and centralize the stories of dispossession to determine whether a particular ethnic group is being targeted. The current situation highlights the need for stronger legal protections for property owners of all ethnicities in Guyana. Property owners should not have to live in fear that their land could be taken away from them without their knowledge or consent.
