By Prior Beharry
THE lack of authorisation of the Director of Surveys to sign off on cadastral surveys for new properties is keeping people from moving into their new homes.
This according to land developer Kamaluddin Mohammed who has been waiting on this one piece of approval to have six people move into their new properties at Jennins Gardens in Longdenville.
Mohammed said he has been told by public servants that the acting Director of Surveys Alicia Kathleen Naimool-Ramdass has not been given the authorisation by the Cabinet to approve new cadastral surveys. He said he was told that once the director is acting she has to be given this permission on an annual basis.
Contacted for comment, Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat said his permanent secretary was dealing with the issue of the Director of Surveys authorisation to sign.
He said, “The documents for her (director of surveys) continuation to act was received in early February. Further information has been requested from the Public Service Commission by the Permanent Secretary.
Rambharat added, “In the past when there is a gap like this the officer appointed to act continues to sign off documents. The Permanent Secretary is dealing with the matter”
He said, “The Permanent Secretary has advised that she herself, as well as other public officers, are waiting on their acting instruments. The PS and other officers are signing as usual. The PS has advised the acting Director of Surveys to sign documents as she had been doing since her current acting stint started in 2021.”
But, Mohammed said he has been waiting since January to have his papers signed off. He said he had gotten all his completion certificates and WASA clearances and was just waiting on the authorisation for the new cadastral surveys.
He said his Jennins Gardens development was in partnership with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).
Mohammed said he sells the houses at subsidised rates to people registered with the HDC which gives him an incentive.
He said his clients have already received their mortgages and were still paying rent as they could not move into their new properties.
Mohammed said it is also costing him as he had his loans to pay.
