The Ministry of Housing and Water wishes to reiterate its zero-tolerance policy for the illegal act of squatting. We are therefore urging persons to desist from illegally occupying state lands as we have received reports of new structures being built on reserves within the Cummings Lodge/Sophia environs.

Consequently, the enforcement arm of the Ministry of Housing today served contravention notices to squatters of Cummings Lodge Phase 2, East Coast Demerara, Cummings Park, and the Section ‘C’ Entrance. These persons were not occupying the named locations at the time of our Agency’s last inventory, which means they recently moved into the locations and started construction. The illegal occupation of state lands at Cummings Lodge continues to hindered officials from carrying out the planned budgeted projects. The Ministry is appealing to the squatters to immediately cease all activities and allow the systematic allocation process to resume.

Again the Ministry is working to meet the housing demand, but our hand will not be forced by persons who continue to indulge in this illegal act.  Squatting impedes infrastructure development and more importantly has a serious impact on the health and safety of those involved.

We would like to remind citizens that these government reserves are not suitable living conditions for anyone as they lack the necessities for daily human activities. Also most time these reserves run along critical waterways posing a serious threat of contamination. In other instances, critical hardware for utility companies occupy these reserves and illegal encumbrances can affect critical services provided by these companies.