Housing and Legal Affairs Ministers expected to meet public on Jan 30

THREE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS are expected to meet the public on Saturday January
30 if all goes well to help resolve long-standing issues related to acquisition of lands for housing.
With the backlog stretching more than a decade for some applicants, Legal Affairs Minister, Anil
Nandlall stirred up a hornet’s nest with his weekly public meetings beginning late last year in
Annandale on the East Coast corridor.
The plight of the landless Guyanese inhabiting a massively under-populated country of some
216,000 square kilometres so overwhelmed and dominated Nandlall’s weekly rendezvous with
the residents that he was forced many times to remind them that housing is not his portfolio.
“I continue to be shocked by the number of persons who come out to seek answers for their land
related issues. However, I am not the Minister of Housing, I do not have that authority to give
anyone lands but what I intend to do is to invite my two housing ministerial colleagues to meet
with you and other members of the public who have land-related concerns to come here
(Annandale) the very last Saturday in this month (January) as they will seek to answer several of
the questions that the public has,” he told the anxious and impatient audience on January 9.
In an earlier interview with www.aroundtheregions.com that “80 percent of those persons
coming here to see me want advice (about the status of the application for lands) and I assist
because my legal training and experience in government can help direct them to the subject
persons for their solution and this takes care of 80 percent of the problem,” Nandlall had said.
He said “the other20 percent sometimes are very personal issues…I am able to address because
of my knowledge of the law and many years of experience in government so together you have a
good combination of knowledge and experience to address any issue that they raise.”
The weekly meeting by the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister have drawn members of
the public from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara); Four (Demerara –

Mahaica); Five (Mahaica – Berbice); Six (East Berbice – Corentyne) and Ten (Upper Demerara
– Berbice).

“I can only highlight your concerns and issues with my colleagues but recognising the number of
persons who comes out every week from far and wide to have their issues addressed I will speak
to my colleagues and ensure that they are here preferably the last Saturday in this month to meet
with you all. Don’t worry we will give you adequate notice and advice at least two weeks, but for
now we are looking at January 30 and we will inform and update you all along the way should
there be any challenges or changes,” Nandlall assured attendees at his January 9 public meeting.
He reiterated President Irfaan Ali’s aggressive housing programme to ensure every Guyanese
who desire and apply, will secure a house lot, easing decades of stress they have been enduring.
“The (Housing) Ministers will meet with the public…so be assured that your concerns and
issues are going to be addressed,” Nandlall promised. He promised to ensure that the
public is given adequate notice on the impending meeting, thus ensuring that as many
person as possible are given adequate notice so as to attend.