GLSC reiterates Qatari hotel land belongs to state, not city

Gandhi Youth Organization, among others. The annotations are again on their transport, the GLSC said.

In terms of the Carifesta Avenue area, the statement said that the Government of British Guiana and subsequently Guyana surveyed and gave out leases north of Kelly Dam to organizations such as East Indian Cricket Club now Everest (6.17 acres), B.G Boy Scout, next to Everest, Teachers Training Centre, Cable and Wireless (GTT now), Youth Council (later NIS obtained a lease), Saint Stanislaus College and on the southern side to Demerara or Georgetown Golf Club (now the National Park), the Rifle range (now Camp Ayanganna), YMCA, Catholic Youth Club (now Marian Academy) and Queen’s College, Cosmos Sports Club (now GMRC) Malteenoes Sports Club, Transport Sports Club, Post Office Cricket Club (now GPSU).

“This is as far back as 1930’s and 40’s and covers the entire 240.5 acres. Many of these leases expired and were re-issued to the original lessees or new ones where the entities did not exist anymore.

“The GLSC continued to issue leases in the area and is currently processing GMRSC and Malteenoes. These lands along Carifesta Avenue exceed 43 acres and cannot be misinterpreted to (be) that held under Transport 337/1887. In fact, the Northern side has about 45 to 50 acres. Save and except for a lease for a dam (Wireless dam, near GTT) there is absolutely no record of a survey or lease issued to anyone by the City Council for any area along Carifesta Avenue”, the statement said.

In order to account for the Council’s lands, the GLSC provided a list of surveys registered at GLSC by various surveyors who refer to the lands held by the Council, many done at the request of them, all in the Woolford Avenue area, some of these leases are annotated on the Council’s Transport. Most of these also list the Transport number 337 of 1887.

Even though this transport is very old there are noticeable annotations as follows, the GLSC said:

Public Acquisition from M&CC for Government Technical Institute, 2.459 acres on a Plan by R.L Wong, which when checked was acquired by Order 27/1951.

Lease by M&CC to Portuguese Club (Later called Non Pariel Park Tennis Court) in 1931- 3.09 acres.

Lease by M&CC to Indian Education Trust College No 347/1960 for 99 years - 4.479 Acres. Now Richard Ishmael Secondary and North Georgetown Primary.

Lease by M&CC for Central High School, later shared by Critchlow Labour College and Tutorial High. 1.96 acres and 2.088 acres.

M&CC to BG Teachers Association (now GTU) -2.436 acres

BG Boy Scout from M&CC -3.525 acres

Sprostons Sports Club (now GNEC) -3.539 acres

M&CC to Muslim Youth Organisation (May now be CIOG)- 2.582 Acres

M&CC to Labour College- 1.361 acres This seems to be GITC based on the date. St Joseph High School and Stella Maris- 5.88 acres, surveyed for Mayor and City Council.

GYO 2.2 Acres

An area between GYO and North Georgetown 1.8 acres

The GLSC said that all surveys executed on behalf of the M&CC have been in the same area between Camp Road and Vlissengen Road and from the southern boundaries of Queen’s College to Cummings Canal. The surveys all refer to Transport no 337 of 1887.

The Council only has 43 acres and most of this has been basically accounted for through the above surveys. A very large reserve as much as 70 feet and 44 feet for the Cummings Canal was left in most of the surveys”, the GLSC added.

North Georgetown, it said, seems to be on the Caetano Land and not part of Transport 337 of 1887 and as such it was not included. These lands were acquired by government for the construction of Irving Street, according to the GLSC.

The approximate area obtained for the various properties as well as the Cummings

Canal reserve basically covers the entire Council property as described in the Transport number 337 of 1887. Instead of a North Canal mentioned in Luke Hill’s plan the route seems to have been changed to rebuild Cummings Canal and fill the North Canal shown on that plan.

It said that the respective plan numbers have been included for anyone to check at the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Head Office.