The Guyana government last night passed the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes Amendment Bill 2024 following a marathon parliamentary session that ended at 8:45 p.m. The bill, pushed through by the government’s majority, introduces sweeping changes to the process of land acquisition, including the state’s right to take “vacant possession” of compulsorily acquired lands after “prompt” and “adequate” compensation is paid. The opposition unanimously rejected the bill, warning of its potential to disproportionately harm vulnerable communities.
Critics accuse the government of ignoring the social and emotional toll of displacement, particularly on African and Indigenous Guyanese whose ancestral ties to the land run deep. “This bill is just another way to take from the poor and give to the powerful,” said one resident who requested anonymity, adding that his family’s land had been in their possession for generations. Another concerned citizen described the government’s actions as “legalized land grabbing,” citing fears that compensation would not reflect the true value of their property or the emotional costs of being uprooted.
Opposition MP Nima Flue Bess was one of the few political voices to call out the psychological impact of forced relocations. “The people who are affected by these changes need more than just financial compensation,” she said during the debate. “Families need support, understanding, and acknowledgment of the trauma this process causes. Instead, we’re being asked to trust a system that has consistently failed the vulnerable.”
The bill’s passage has sparked widespread criticism, with citizens and civil society groups accusing the government of rushing through legislation without sufficient public consultation. “We were not even given a chance to understand how this will affect us,” said another citizen, who fears losing her family’s farmland. As the government touts the legislation as a step toward development, many believe it will deepen inequalities and further erode public trust. For now, the people displaced by this law are left with uncertainty, anger, and the weight of a decision they feel was made without them.
