GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana government is considering repossessing lands given to Co-Op Societies over the past three years after indicating that many 1,735 registered entities are dysfunctional and can take advantage of the donation.
Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton told a news conference that if the Co-Op Societies fail to put lands in their possession to use effectively, the lands will be repossessed.
“Is it either you resolve the problem, or you are dissolved? I will only have a few co-ops listed that are a figment of people’s imagination. The government will not have co-op societies that have land in their possession, unproductive land, and serve no purpose, not even the members.
“And for the people, who say the government wants to take over the people’s land, the land ain’t the people’s land, the land is State land granted to them via a lease from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission or MMA with specific work program they submitted, what they will do with the property,” the Labour Minister said.
Hamilton told reporters that the government leased many agriculture and forestry-based co-ops because they would develop those lands by their work plan. However, many of the lands were never put into use.
He said in the case of persons living on co-op lands, the government has decided to provide them transport to those lands.
“We have determined all of the co-op housing schemes, and many and thousands of people are affected. We have determined that we will ensure that every property owner in a co-op scheme gets their transport or their titles, regardless of the state of the co-op, regardless of whether they are functioning or not functioning,” Hamilton said.
He said that the Ministry of Labour’s Co-op Development, the Ministry of Housing and Water, and the Attorney General’s Chambers have been working to ensure that the affected persons are provided with their transport.
Hamilton said many Guyanese, for far too long, have been unable to use their homes as assets due to the need for more documentation.
“I know some people have accused me of attempting to disband the co-op or of trying to undermine the co-op. I don’t have to disband the co-ops, the co-ops; many of them have disbanded themselves because of non-functioning, having no accountability and transparency, by people’s families taking over the thing like their parents left it for them via a will from their mother.
“What the government is doing is ensuring that every owner of a property in a co-op scheme, they are empowered,” Hamilton said, urging Co-Op Societies to have complete audits to facilitate their annual general meetings (AGMs) to elect new office holders.
“But I say this, the same way I have instructed that they be given back if the new management committee ain’t run it properly, the Chief Co-op Development Officer will utilize his powers to take it back because they have to be accountable, transparent. The co-op society is owned by equal shares by all members – the chairman and secretary, they are not bosses,” Hamilton said.
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