Squatters to be removed to facilitate Independence Boulevard enhancement project - Edghill

Squatters to be removed to facilitate Independence Boulevard enhancement project – Edghill

Sep 16, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The Public Works Ministry will be engaging the Housing and Water Ministry to put systems in place to relocate squatters residing at Cemetery Road, Punt Trench, and Saffron Street to facilitate the Independence Boulevard enhancement project.

A staff member of the Public Works Ministry engages one of the squatters

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill on Wednesday engaged the squatters to chart a way forward for the $1.5 billion project. “Quite a few people who have dwelling, have already applied for house lots, we will engage the Ministry of Housing and Water to see how we can get them relocated fastest so that we can get this process going,” Minister Edghill was quoted in a Department of Public Information bulletin as saying.

The 1.8-kilometre Independence Boulevard project will be constructed in three phases. There will be two carriageways, a double and a single on each side. Concrete drains will also be constructed, along with a promenade between the two carriageways. The engagement with the Housing Ministry will allow squatters to acquire a title, and comfortable living accommodations, while enabling them to access legal electricity and water. It is a demonstration of the PPP/C Administration’s commitment to supporting every Guyanese, as the country continues on its upward trajectory. “We have engaged everybody. We don’t want to take a strong-arm approach, so we have engaged people to move and we will provide whatever support,” the minister stated.

He extended sincere gratitude for the level of cooperation by businesses and squatters following the discussions. Meanwhile, the Minister pleaded with the public to refrain from turning the relocation process into a political issue. “Anybody who wants to make small politics and create confusion out of this will not be tolerated, because the general attitude is people want to see that this area developed,” he emphasised.

Edghill back in August had launched the enhancement projects valued at almost $1.5 billion in total for Independence Boulevard and Cemetery Road, Georgetown, which he said would transform the surrounding communities from the “ghetto” to a “valued” part of the capital city. As part of the project, there will be the upgrading of Cemetery Road on both of the carriageways from Princes Street all the way out to Mandela Avenue. “We are ensuring that you can get traffic two lanes going and two coming, so Cemetery Road is turning into a four-lane,” Edghill had told residents during the launch. The Minister had also disclosed that the government will be fencing the Le Repentir Cemetery and had noted that no graves will be removed in order for the road to be upgraded.

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