The Alliance For Change (AFC) calls on the Government through the Ministry of Housing, to immediately issue titles to the residents of Block 22, Wismar. The community of Block 22 has been in existence for more than 27 years and despite repeated appeals to the government, the residents still are not being issued with titles.
The Alliance For Change met with residents of the community on November 17, 2013. At the meeting the residents outlined the many attempts they made to secure titles for the plots they occupy but have so far been unsuccessful. The residents need the titles so they can use it as collateral when applying for mortgages and other loans at commercial banks. In a region known for high levels of unemployment, the residents are finding it very difficult to secure loans to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions or to complete construction of their houses.
At the meeting, the residents also complained of the poor state of the roads at Block 22. It is shameful that after more than 27 years, the community still has earthen paths in some sections that are referred to as roads. This is in a Region that supplies sand for road construction all across Guyana. In other sections, the streets are just sand paths which have been cleared but no actual road construction was done. Women with heavy bags, pregnant women, mothers just out of hospital after delivering their babies all are forced to walk to their homes because the cars would get stuck if the driver attempts to drive through the heavy sand.
It is clear that successive governments have failed the people of Block 22. How is it possible that titles are being handed out for housing communities that have been developed after Block 22 but Block 22 residents cannot have their titles? Is this a case of victimization or is this penalization because of geography and politics?
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