| …as key legislation is passedWhat initially was thought would have been a simple amendment to the Laws regarding the titling of land ended with a heated debate in the House.The Bill namely the Title to Land (Prescription and Limitation) (Amendment) Bill was piloted by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Charles Ramson and was passed without the support of any of the Opposition Parties in the House.Ramson in his presentation to the House – when he asked the Bill to be read for a second time -said that the proposed legislation is designed to meet some of the lawlessness that has been having a creeping effect in society,Cheap Jerseys From China, “this kind of land grabbing is not to be overlooked.”The Legal Affairs Minister said that he was making reference to the fact that currently a person can squat on government land, and after 30 years can apply for prescriptive rights.When enacted persons will no longer be able to apply for prescriptive titling,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, regardless of how long they have occupied the land but the government would still be able to do the same on citizens’ property.The current legislation allows for a citizen to occupy another private citizen’s property for 12 years uninterrupted at which point that person can apply for prescriptive title“We are bringing very definitive legislation to ensure that there is no land grabbing and define which is state land and resources.”In the proposed legislation the immovable resource is listed as, “State land,Cheap China Jerseys, government land, land wholly owned by State entities including companies and corporations or in which the controlling interest is vested in the State and any land identified by law or on a plan drawn and approved in accordance with any law for reserves for the public interest and benefit or to any undivided or other interest in any land in this subsection is expressly excluded and shall not be acquired by prescription through adverse possession.”Ramson stressed that there was nothing sinister or intricate about the Bill adding that the administration,NHL Jerseys From China, “just wants propriety with respect to lands owned by the state.”He spoke of persons being complicit in seeing the grabbing of state land, suggesting collusion also at the level of NDC and RDC officials.Ramson pointed out that with the passage of the legislation the administration has identified in an explicit way in which conditions must be satisfied for persons applying in a legitimate manner for land. “We are not taking away anybody’s rights,” he stressedPeople’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) frontbencher Deborah Backer in her opening remarks during the debate on the Bill said that “the only thing simple about this bill is that it will be passed with a simple majority.”“Simple it seems but this Act will have very profound effect on hundreds, we in fact feel thousands … throughout the length of this country!” Backer asserted emphatically.She said that given the repercussions of the enactment of the legislation, PNCR Leader Robert Corbin who is also the leader of the Parliamentary Opposition had written to the Prime Minister who heads the Government side of the House and the Subject Minister seeking a deferral so that there could be further consultations..This was not to be, and Ramson in his rebuttal said that he received the request at 10:30hrs yesterday and did not see the wisdom proffered in Corbin’s argument, and as such,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, a deferral was not granted.Backer argued that the Act “increases the already weighted power government has…It is now saying that regardless of how long you have been on the land you cannot get it prescriptively.”The PNCR Member of Parliament pointed out that not only can citizens not apply for the land, it allows for government as well as companies which the government has a vested interest in to move for a citizen’s property.“Hand in hand with the increase in power it is now even more oppressive…with this you can never prescribe but they could prescribe over your land in 12 years.”It is stipulated in the proposed legislation that any pending applications to the court at the time of the enactment of the amendments would not be affected, but Backer questioned what will happen to the thousands of persons that have lived on the land in some cases for more than 30 years.The Bill could take away land from people who have had same for generations, according to Backer.To this insinuation PPP/C Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall in his presentation sought to alleviate fears, adding that the administration has a policy to deal with the situation.He said that the government regularises areas and relocates with adequate compensation where necessary.He pointed out that ever since the administration took office in 1992, some 216 squatting areas were regularised. “We didn’t remove them, we gave them titles….18,166 persons who had occupied state land now have titles for the very same land.”He pointed to the location in Berbice where persons had to be relocated to facilitate the construction of the Berbice River Bridge.Nandlall told the House the Bill is simple, whilst explaining they are seeking to address the matter of state property, “this is for the protection of the natural patrimony…we are protecting the state’s property for the benefit of the people of the country.”On the issue of persons squatting on government reserves, Backer told the House that her party was not in agreement with that,Wholesale Jerseys, but a more diplomatic way was required to deal with the situation and not use the “big stick” approach.Minister of Transportation and Hydraulics Robeson Benn said that persons encumbering the reserves were not only placing themselves in danger but other communities, given that the services such as proper drainage among others cannot be provided adequately.He said that if he is to gain notoriety as a result of his actions then he has no problem with that.Benn stated that he would have thought that any persons hearing about the clearing of the reserves would find it to be good thing.“If I am getting notoriety for protecting the country and for the improvement of the country as a whole it’s okay.”Alliance For Change Presidential Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan said that the Government Speakers were not focused on the gist of the arguments of the opposition. He said that there were no arguments for persons to be squatting on reserves, but questioned why deny a person tilling a plot for 30 years and upgrading its value in the process.He suggested that he was sure that the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan supported the idea of prescriptive titling.Ramjattan also question why it is that the citizen cannot lay claim to state land through prescriptive titling but the government can do this to a citizen’s property.He suggested that the Administration would prefer to sell the land for a pittance to one of its “buddy buddy” who would in turn resell the land after some infrastructural works, in the process making large profits.Ramson in his closing arguments flayed the opposition, telling the House that he “had to endure flatulence of arguments of persons who ought to know better…I am ashamed to know as leader of the Bar I have followers like this.”He slammed suggestions by the opposition that the bill was an unconstitutionality telling them that if that was their opinion then they could challenge it in the court.Ramson said that several Bills have been said to be unconstitutional, but none have been challenged. |
