By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
MOCHA, EAST BANK DEMERARA — Tensions are rising in the Mocha squatting area as nearly 400 households face the looming threat of relocation. During a high-profile visit by a team of We Invest in Neighborhoods (WIN) Members of Parliament, led by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, residents detailed a decades-long struggle with crumbling infrastructure and what they describe as “insulting” compensation offers for their livelihoods.
The visit, aimed at documenting the conditions of the approximately 375 households, highlighted a community caught between the need for modernization and the fear of being left behind.
Relocation and “Insulting” Compensation
The primary concern for residents—many of whom have lived in the area since the late 1980s—is the lack of transparency regarding their resettlement.
- The Compensation Gap: Residents reported being offered a mere $71,000 Guyana Dollars as compensation for permanent crops that were uprooted during recent state activities. Many argue this does not begin to cover the years of investment in their land.
- The “Purchase” Plea: While acknowledging that moving may be necessary for safety, residents are pleading with the Ministry of Housing for “first preference” to purchase the lands they are resettled on, rather than being treated as temporary occupants.
- Generational Ties: One resident, who has lived in the community since 1989, expressed the emotional toll: “All my children are right here… and now they’re telling me that I have to move.”
Safety Hazards: The GPL Transmission Line
Compounding the fear of displacement is a genuine life-safety threat. A Guyana Power and Light (GPL) high-voltage transmission line currently runs directly across the settlement.
- Safety Zone Violations: Authorities have warned that the proximity of homes to the transmission lines is a breach of national safety codes, posing a risk of electrocution or fire.
- The Infrastructure Stalemate: Residents argue that the lines were installed after many of them had already established homes, leading to questions about why the community was allowed to grow in such a hazardous path.
Decades of Neglect
Beyond the relocation issue, the WIN MPs documented a “litany of long-standing issues” that residents say have been ignored for generations:
| Issue | Description |
| Crumbling Roads | Internal roads have remained in a “deplorable” state for over 30 years. |
| Community Ground | A once-vibrant gathering space has been abandoned for years due to a total lack of maintenance. |
| Water Crisis | A chronic leak in a main pipeline near the ball field has severely reduced water pressure throughout the settlement. |
The WIN Opposition’s Stance
The WIN party issued a direct appeal to the government to “do justly by its citizens.” Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed emphasized that any relocation must be supportive and fair, ensuring that families are not moved into situations that are worse than their current circumstances.
“The fate of the Mocha squatting area now rests on whether these calls for justice are heeded,” the party’s statement concluded.
