In a startling development, Village Voice News has obtained exclusive information revealing that the government of Guyana, through the Department of Lands and Surveys, has taken the unprecedented step of indefinitely suspending leases in Mocha that were processed during the APNU government’s tenure. While leases in the pipeline are not being processed, some people who already have leases are not being allowed to hisse their annual land rent.
According to a distressed lease holder who reached out to Village Voice News, and who is awaiting final approval on his one acre lease in Mocha Backdam, he was informed by a senior official within Lands & Surveys that his Mocha lease for farmland would not be processed, despite him having already paid processing fees, surveyor’s fees, and completed the application process since 2019. Another lease holder was told that Lands & Survey was not going to accept his lease payment. These revelations have sent shockwaves through the community, sparking more accusations of bias and discrimination against Afro-Guyanese.
Village Voice has learned that the prior PPP government had allocated 1000 acres in Mocha to 4 persons of East Indian descent. That land was subsequently reallocated to 1000 persons in smaller lots for farming and residential. An anonymous source within Lands & Survey, indicated that employees within the department, allegedly affiliated with the PPP government, worked to delay the processing of leases in Mocha during APNU’s administration.
Today, as these delayed leases teeter on the brink of cancellation, concerns mount over perceived favoritism towards the PPP’s associates, who purportedly benefit from expedited lease processing and it was not too long ago when Cane View residents of Mocha were bulldozed and violently removed from homes in which they lived for decades. The government of Guyana has long been eyeing the Mocha lands as they had begun large secret allocations before 2015.
Expressing frustration over the situation, one lease holder condemned the government’s actions as “patently biased and unfair,” highlighting yet another instance of discrimination against the average citizen of Guyana.
Amidst escalating tensions, calls for transparency and accountability have intensified, with demands for the government to provide a comprehensive explanation for its decision to halt leases granted during the APNU era.
As the controversy unfolds, the government of Guyana faces mounting pressure to address these concerns head-on and ensure equitable treatment for all citizens, irrespective of political affiliation or status. Village Voice News will continue to monitor developments closely and provide updates as the situation evolves.