By Travis Chase | Nightly News |
KANEVILLE, EAST BANK DEMERARA — More than 300 households in Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, have been plunged into deep anxiety and uncertainty after the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) issued formal notices requiring occupants on a designated state reserve to vacate within 14 days.
The eviction notices, dated August 10, 2026, warn that failure to clear the government reserve within the two-week window will trigger statutory enforcement action and potential magistrate court summonses.
Statutory Warning and Legal Penalties
According to the official CH&PA notices posted throughout the community, occupation of the reserve land is unlawful and constitutes illegal squatting and willful trespass:
- Legal Provisions: The Authority cited Section 45 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:02, and enforcement mechanisms under the Town and Country Planning Act, Chapter 20:01.
- Immediate Cease-and-Desist: Occupants have been ordered to immediately halt all land clearing, unauthorized construction, structural expansion, and community development.
- Magistrate Summonses: Residents failing to comply risk being summoned before a magistrate to show cause why formal demolition and removal orders should not be executed.
Decades-Long Residents and Regularization Applications
For many families, the eviction order came as a severe shock. Several residents stated they have occupied the area for over 30 years with the expectation that the settlement would be officially regularized.
- Shelleva Moses (Resident since 1993): Explained that after more than three decades in Kaneville, the 14-day removal notice leaves her family vulnerable and on the back foot without alternative housing options.
- Tia Rose (Mother of Three): Shared that she had held onto hope that the Ministry of Housing would regularize the longstanding neighborhood rather than displace established households.
- Mohand Geer (Local Farmer): Stated that he submitted a formal application to the Ministry of Housing and Water to legitimize his land occupancy. With the notice now served, Geer noted that the eviction threatens not only his home but his farming livelihood.
- Roy Waithe (Resident): Displayed an official acknowledgment letter issued to him by the CH&PA following a prior land application, expressing confusion as to why eviction notices were issued after active engagement with the state.
Reserve Earmarked for Community Facility; Housing Officials Meet Residents
The contested parcel of land has reportedly been earmarked by the government for the development of a community recreational playground.
On Sunday, officials from the Ministry of Housing and Water met with affected residents at the local Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) office to discuss the eviction orders. The definitive outcome and agreements from that meeting were not immediately made public.
