Neither town council nor Caricom rice mill has right to disputed state land… property already leased – Trevor Benn.

Oct 15, 2019 News

Since 2001, the Islamic Community on the Essequibo Coast, has been making several applications to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission to develop a plot of land with the intention to extending its playground.

“Works in Progress on the disputed land.”

Within the space of just a week, approval to develop the said plot of land was given to a private mill by the Anna Regina Town Council.
Yesterday, Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Trevor Benn, said that neither the Masjid nor the rice mill can lay claim to the plot of land, since it has already been leased to another individual.
Benn went on to say that the Council’s move to allocate state land to the mill is illegal, and an investigation will soon be launched. Benn said that over the years, NDCs have been issuing state land to private individuals, some of whom have even acquired titles.
Benn said that the NDCs have no authority to allocate state land to private individuals, and any such decision is void.
Kaieteur News understands that in 2014, the commission issued an acknowledgement letter to the Masjid. The Commissioner pointed out, however, that an acknowledgement without a lease is also invalid.
The mill on the other hand, has already begun to develop the plot of land. Benn said that the Essequibo Lands and Surveys Officer has been instructed to visit the site today to erect a sign indicating that the land is already leased.