Promise kept . . . Welch Village folk to gain ownership – MP

Squatters in Welch Village, St John could be going into 2020 owning the land they now occupy.

This suggestion came from Member of Parliament for the area and Minister in the Ministry of Housing Charles Griffith, who spoke briefly to the media during a tour of the badly eroded road in the nearby Pot House district in the parish on Monday.

Griffith said Government was in the final stages of transferring properties to qualifying individuals.

“As it relates to Welch, we are in the final stages of preparing the conveyances for all of those persons that [are] deemed to be squatters in the area,” said Griffith.

The promise that residents would own the property they occupied in Welch first came from the Barbados Labour Party during the campaign for the May 2018 General
Elections.

Griffith had told residents in the former Democratic Labour Party stronghold in July last year they would be able to purchase the land at ten cents per square foot, while Government would foot the rest of the bill.

Back then residents were also asked to complete a Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act form, which makes provision for qualified tenants to exercise their rights to purchase lots on which they have been residing for five consecutive years, or for five years out of the immediately preceding seven years.

Griffith, who is expected to give further details in coming days, told reporters the process was almost completed.

“Hopefully by the end of this month that entire situation will be rectified. I know that the ministry conducted all of the necessary survey work. So Welch will be sorted out,” he promised.

It is not yet clear if all the over 100 squatters will be able to own the land they currently occupy there.

Residents in that and other communities in the parish have also been crying out for better roads.

Addressing the road conditions and beautification of St John, Griffith said he was pleased that repairs have started, while promising that more upgrades were to come.

“In terms of the cleaning, work started on the [roadways from] Bath to Andromeda Gardens and if you travel the road you would see some fantastic work being carried out by the two youngsters contracted to do the work. So things are happening in St John at a pace, and in 2020 we will escalate that,” said Griffith.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb