Squatting in Guyana

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Guyana on the globe GUY orthographic.svg
Guyana on the globe

Squatting in Guyana is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. Squatting has been used as a means to find housing by people displaced by conflict in the 1960s and by internal migrants from the 1980s onwards. In 2015, there were estimated to be over 100,000) squatters across the country. The government announced the National Squatter Regularisation Commission (NSRC) and the State Land Resettlement Commission in 2020, in the following year it allied with UN-HABITAT to create the Guyana Strategy for Informal Settlements Upgrading and Prevention (GSISUP) which aims to regularize all informal settlements by 2030.

Contents

History

Conflict in Guyana in the 1960s led to people squatting in racially demarcated informal settlements. When the government ceased to provide housing in the 1980s, people again started squatting, mostly around Georgetown. [1] At the Met-en-Meerzorg settlement, four-room houses were constructed with walls made from zinc or wood. As of 1997, there was no running water and there had been electricity since 1994. [1] Plastic City at Vreed en Hoop was occupied in the early 1990s with people living in wooden houses next to the ocean. [2]

A study by the Land Tenure Centre of the University of Wisconsin published in 2001 stated that knowing exactly how much squatting was happening was difficult because of the varied ways in which people illegally accessed land, such as exploitation of administrative loopholes, staying on land after leases had ended, incrementally taking more land than was originally owned, as well as the conventional form of occupying unused property. Land invasions were most frequent on former co-operative farms or beside railways and reserves. [3]

Since the late 2000s, the Ministry of Public Works has been planning to expand the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and therefore wanted to relocate squatters. By 2015, squatters were still being cleared. [4] That year it was estimated that 27,570 families (over 100,000) people were squatting across the country. [5]

From 2019 onwards, the issue of people squatting sugar plantations in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region became a controversial issue. [6] [7] In the same area there were also squatters on the Herstelling sea dam. [8]

Regularization plans

Little Red Village near Lake Tapakuma. Little Red Village is a reallocation project for people living in shanty towns. Tapakuma Red Village - panoramio.jpg
Little Red Village near Lake Tapakuma. Little Red Village is a reallocation project for people living in shanty towns.

The Ministry of Housing and Water said in 2005 that it would regularize 165 squatted settlements by the following year. [10] Between 2015 and 2020, the country was ruled by a coalition of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance for Change (AFC). The Guyana Times then accused the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission of giving land to APNU and AFC members. [11]

President David A. Granger announced in 2020 that the government would set up a National Squatter Regularisation Commission (NSRC) and a State Land Resettlement Commission. He said there were 178 informal settlements when his party came to power and he wanted to legalize them all. [12] Residents of Plastic City welcomed the initiative. [13] The following year the government announced it was teaming up with UN-HABITAT to make the Guyana Strategy for Informal Settlements Upgrading and Prevention (GSISUP), which plans to regularize all squatted areas by 2030. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

Squatting Occupation of derelict land or an empty building without the permission of the owner

Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there were one billion slum residents and squatters globally. Squatting occurs worldwide and tends to occur when people who are poor and homeless find empty buildings or land to occupy for housing. It has a long history, broken down by country below.

Shanty town Improvised human settlement

A shanty town or squatter area is a settlement of improvised buildings known as shanties or shacks, typically made of materials such as mud and wood. A typical shanty town is squatted and in the beginning lacks adequate infrastructure, including proper sanitation, safe water supply, electricity and street drainage. Over time, shanty towns can develop their infrastructure and even change into middle class neighbourhoods. They can be small informal settlements or they can house millions of people.

Vreed en Hoop is a village at the mouth of the Demerara River on its left bank, in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region of Guyana, located at sea level. It is the location of the Regional Democratic Council office making it the administrative center for the region. There is also a police station, magistrate's court and post office.

Sophia is a ward of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. It's a predominantly Afro-Guyanese community, and one of Georgetown's poorest neighborhoods.

Informal housing Housing outside of official government control, regulation, or protection

Informal housing or informal settlement can include any form of housing, shelter, or settlement which is illegal, falls outside of government control or regulation, or is not afforded protection by the state. As such, the informal housing industry is part of the informal sector.

Squatting in Zimbabwe

Squatting in Zimbabwe is the settlement of land or buildings without the permission of the owner. Squatting began under colonialism. After Zimbabwe was created in 1980, peasant farmers and squatters disputed the distribution of land. Informal settlements have developed on the periphery of cities such as Chitungwiza and the capital Harare. In 2005, Operation Murambatsvina evicted an estimated 700,000 people.

Squatting in Fiji Unauthorized occupation of land or buildings in Fiji

Squatting in Fiji is defined as being "a resident of a dwelling which is illegal according to planning by-laws regardless of whether the landowner has given consent". As of 2018, an estimated 20% of the total population was squatting, including people living on land owned by indigenous clans with informal permission. Most squatters are on the larger islands such as Vanua Levu and Viti Levu.

Squatting in Namibia Occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner

Squatting in Namibia is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. After Namibian independence in 1990, squatting increased as people migrated to the cities. By 2020, 401,748 people were living in 113 informal settlements across the country.

Squatting in Ghana

Squatting in Ghana is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. Informal settlements are found in cities such as Kumasi and the capital Accra. Ashaiman, now a town of 100,000 people, was swelled by squatters. In central Accra, next to Agbogbloshie, the Old Fadama settlement houses an estimated 80,000 people and is subject to a controversial discussion about eviction. The residents have been supported by Amnesty International, the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and Shack Dwellers International.

Squatting in Vanuatu

Squatting in the Republic of Vanuatu is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. After independence in 1980, informal settlements developed in cities such as Luganville and the capital Port Vila. Land in Vanuatu is either custom land owned by indigenous peoples or public land owned by the republic.

Squatting in Chile Occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner

Squatting in Chile is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. From the 1960s onwards, informal settlements known as callampas were permitted although there were also evictions such as the massacre of Puerto Montt in 1969. In the 1970s, the government of Salvador Allende encouraged occupations, then following the coup d'état, the military junta repressed squatting. Callampas then became known as campamentos.

Squatting in Pakistan

Squatting in Pakistan is the occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner. Squatted informal settlements formed following the creation of Pakistan in 1947. They were known first as "bastis" then later "katchi abadis" and the inhabitants were forcibly resettled under military rule. By 2007, there were 7.5 million squatters in Karachi alone. The Sindh Katchi Abadi Authority (SKAA) announced in 2019 that a total of 1,414 katchi abadis had been located and 1,006 of those had been contacted with regards to beginning a regularization process.

Squatting in Sudan The occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without the permission of the owner

Squatting in Sudan is defined as the "Acquisition and construction of land, within the city boundaries for the purpose of housing in contradiction to Urban Planning and Land laws and building regulations." These informal settlements arose in Khartoum from the 1920s onwards, swelling in the 1960s. By the 1980s, the government was clearing settlements in Khartoum and regularizing them elsewhere. It was estimated that in 2015 that were 200,000 squatters in Khartoum, 180,000 in Nyala, 60,000 in Kassala, 70,000 in Port Sudan and 170,000 in Wad Madani.

Squatting in Venezuela Occupation of unused land or derelict buildings without permission of owner

Squatting in Venezuela is the occupation of derelict buildings or unused land without the permission of the owner. Informal settlements, known first as "ranchos" and then "barrios", are common. In the capital Caracas notable squats have included the 23 de Enero housing estate, Centro Financiero Confinanzas and El Helicoide, a former shopping centre which is now a notorious prison.

Squatting in the Philippines Occupation of derelict land or abandoned buildings

Squatting in the Philippines occurs when people build makeshift houses called "barong-barong"; urban areas such as Metro Manila and Metro Davao have large informal settlements. The Philippine Statistics Authority has defined a squatter, or alternatively "informal dwellers", as "One who settles on the land of another without title or right or without the owner's consent whether in urban or rural areas". Squatting is criminalized by the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, also known as the Lina Law. There have been various attempts to regularize squatter settlements, such as the Zonal Improvement Program and the Community Mortgage Program. In 2018, the Philippine Statistics Authority estimated that out of the country's population of about 106 million, 4.5 million were homeless.

Squatting in Bangladesh

Squatting in Bangladesh occurs when squatters make informal settlements known as "bastees" on the periphery of cities such as Chittagong, Dhaka and Khulna. As of 2013, almost 35 per cent of Bangladesh's urban population lived in informal settlements.

Squatting in Nepal

Squatting in Nepal occurs when people live on land or in buildings without the valid land ownership certificate. The number of squatters has increased rapidly since the 1980s, as a result of factors such as internal migration to Kathmandu and civil war. In March 2021, the chairperson of the Commission on Landless Squatters stated that all landless squatters would receive ownership certificates within the following eighteen months.

Squatting in Angola Occupation of unused land or derelict buildings in Angola without permission of owner

Squatting in Angola occurs when displaced peoples occupy informal settlements in coastal cities such as the capital Luanda. The Government of Angola has been criticized by human rights groups for forcibly evicting squatters and not resettling them.

Squatting in Mexico

Squatting in Mexico has occurred on the periphery of Mexico City from the 19th century onwards. As of 2017, an estimated 25 per cent of Mexico's urban population lived in informal settlements. In Mexico City, there are self-managed social centres. The CORETT program aims to help squatters to register their land plots

In Algeria, the high cost of housing leads to informal settlements, many of which are on squatted land. Another factor causing squatting has been displacement, since during the Algerian War of 1954 until 1962 up to 2.5 million people were forcibly resettled. In the north-eastern city of Annaba, squats sprang up after the country became independent in 1962 and tend to lack connection to sanitation and electricity. The Directorate for Planning and Construction (DUC) announced in 2007 that there were 3,612 buildings in more than 104 informal settlements across the province of Tizi Ouzou.

References

  1. 1 2 Peake, Linda (1997). "Declines and Revivals in Housing Policy in Guyana". In Potter, Robert B.; Conway, Dennis (eds.). Self-help Housing, the Poor, and the State in the Caribbean. University of Tennessee Press. p. 129. ISBN   978-0-87049-963-0. Archived from the original on 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  2. ↑ Meusa, Shamar (28 January 2019). "Plastic City residents still living in rough conditions". Stabroek News. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  3. ↑ Lemel, Harold (2001). "Patterns of Tenure Insecurity in Guyana". Land Tenure Center Working Paper 43: 24.
  4. ↑ "STATEMENT: Renewed squatting on CJIA's lands". Ministry of Public Works. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 Staff writer (5 February 2021). "UN, Guyana collaborate to eradicate squatting by 2030". Guyana Times. Archived from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  6. ↑ Dial, Pat (17 November 2019). "Squatting – A malady to be eradicated". Kaieteur News. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Dyal, Pat (22 November 2020). "Revisiting the scourge of squatting". Guyana Chronicle. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Authorities to address squatting on Herstelling sea dam". News Room Guyana. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Little Red Village is one year old". Stabroek News. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "Guyana: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Progress Report 2005" (PDF). IMF. 2006. p. 97. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  11. ↑ "Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission fleeced Guyana between 2015 and 2020". Guyana Times. 21 October 2020. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  12. ↑ ""I have a plan…"". Guyana News Agency. 9 February 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  13. ↑ Rodney, Alexis (7 February 2020). "Plastic City residents welcome President's squatter resettlement plan". Department of Public Information. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
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