Kaieteur News
PAGE 18
Thursday March 14, 2019
Lamaha Gardens residents concerned over businesses operating in residential only zone
T
he plague of nonadherence to zoning laws has become a norm on Guyana's social landscape and has led to a breach in many land regulations. Citizens have been complaining of commercial entities occupying spaces into communities designed for residential purposes only. Residents of Lamaha Gardens are looking to change this unfavorable trend and have been lobbying to have the issues of zoning addressed. Last Tuesday, at the unveiling of a sign board to be erected in the junction of Duncan Street and Bel Air Road, Georgetown, Chairman of the Lamaha Gardens Community Cooperative Society, Ronald Alli, noted that over the years, the residents have been abandoned by the public sector authorities in their quest to address many negative influences imposed on the community. “These impositions are inconsistent with the objective of orderly and harmonious development and preservation of the amenities set in the planning scheme provided by the Central Housing and P l a n n i n g A u t h o r i t y, ( C H & PA ) f o r o u r community. Lamaha Gardens was laid out in 1966 and developed as a residential community based upon a planning scheme approved by the Central Housing and Planning Authority. Typically, such planning schemes seek to provide for orderly and harmonious land
A business place housed in the Lamaha Gardens area
use development through the zoning of land and the presentation of amenities. Therefore, any activities not consistent with these objectives are not to be tolerated.” According to Alli, this includes rearing of animals such as cows and the intrusion of incompatible land uses, such as commercial businesses operating in an area approved as a residential scheme. He noted that the residential scheme is approved by the CH&PA with conditions consistent with objectives of orderly and harmonious development. “Consequentially and in order to safeguard the rights of proprietors to enjoy the
use of their properties consistent with the approved schemes, the clauses were included in the transports issued to property owners that no cattle , pigs , donkeys , sheep, horses or other livestock shall be kept or reared in the community. The lots shall be used for residential purposes only. No shop, trade, industry or business whatsoever shall be carried on the said lots and no advertisement shall be erected or exhibited thereon.” “Since then, nothing has happened to change that position. Therefore, all regulatory agencies including the Georgetown Municipality have a statutory duty to safeguard the residential status of Lamaha Gardens.”
The signboard was unveiled by Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore, Mayor Ubraj Narine and Mr. Ronald Alli
Hence the Lamaha Gardens Community Cooperative Society is collaborating with the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, (M&CC) on the issue. C i t y M a y o r, U b r a j Narine, and Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore, who were present at the launch of the sign board project, committed to helping address the concerns of the residents. Mayor Narine told the gathering that the City Works Committee should be among those to be commended for the effort in Lamaha Gardens. He assured the residents that the new council will work to have Georgetown retain the title of being the 'Garden City'. He highlighted the importance of residents in all communities working to maintain a clean environment. “I encourage residents to be responsible…When you see someone throw garbage out of a vehicle, call them
and ask them to pick it up; be ambassadors,” Mayor Narine urged. Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor, Mentore urged the residents to respect and upkeep land covenant. “I was mandated by the Mayor to be the conveyor for a National Capital Planning Commission aim to deal with zoning and regularisation of several communities. We have been working to bring about the various changes, and we are happy that the people in the community have been doing their part to take the bold steps to develop their community,” Mentore said. President of the Lamaha Gardens Community Co-op Society, Ronald Alli, said the installation of the sign aims to restore order and a sense of place, consistent with the expectation of living in a residential neighbourhood. “This is a step to say the residents value orderliness and environmental decency in our community.” Over the years, members
of the Lamaha Gardens have complained of a growing number of commercial entities taking occupancy in the community. The private businesses range from a daycare centre, to a fitness gym and travel agency. Also located in the urban residential area is the head o f f i c e G u y a n a Wa t e r Incorporated, (GWI). “Several of the properties operating now as businesses have been rented out. Our main concern is that it's a breach of the agreement and community laws.” In some instances, residents believe that the breach of the community covenant can put others at risk. “We have one business place that has been secured with armed security guards because it had been robbed on a number of times. Should something happen and those security guards open fire there's no telling who could be hurt; we have children living in this area.”