Sophia, Georgetown – The main opposition People’s National Congress Reform said, despite objections yesterday by all Opposition members of Parliament, the ruling People’s Progressive Party passed the Title to Land (Prescription and Limitation) (Amendment) Bill 2011. On Wednesday 9th March, the Leader of the Opposition had written both the Prime Minister and the Attorney General requesting that the second reading of the Bill be deferred for a period of at least two weeks.
Members of Parliament were only privy to the intention of the Government one week ago, when the Bill was circulated and read for the first time at the Sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday 3rdMarch 2011. The PNCR was neither briefed by the Government, nor is it aware of the reason for this Bill being treated with such urgency by the PPP. The far reaching effects of the proposed amendments, particularly, as it affects the rights of our citizens motivated the PNCR to engage in consultations with stakeholders. These consultations could not be concluded by 10th March 2011, hence the letters from the Leader of the Opposition. In the PPP usual style of only lip-service to consultation, the Prime Minister in a one-sentence response stated that the PPP could not entertain the request.
It is now evident that one of the motivations of this Bill was to deprive citizens, who may have acquired rights from obtaining Title of ownership of those State lands. Under the present Law, undisturbed occupation of State lands for thirty years would have entitled citizens to apply for prescriptive Title of the said State lands. This right has now been arbitrarily removed. No provision has been made in the Law to deal with those persons who may have already accumulated that right after completing more than thirty years of undisturbed occupation. Consequently, it is questionable whether those persons constitutional right under Article 142 have not been infringed.
