12-year squatters to get lands legally

Vincentians, who have been living on or working lands, for more than 12 years, which they did not own can now legally own such lands.

Registrar Tamara Gibson Marks said that the Possessory Title Act which was passed in Parliament earlier this year, now allows squatting Vincentians to have legal rights over that piece of property.{{more}}

Justice Albert Matthew, head of the unit set up in the High Court to deal with such matters, explained that in order for persons to claim these lands, they have to prove that they have been living on or working the land for over 12 years and they have to fulfill a number of requirements before the Court can hand over that parcel of property.

Among the requirements, the aspiring owners must file an affidavit swearing that they have been occupying the land for over 12 years; they also have to post notices at the Registry and the Magistrate’s Court in the same district as the land; and place two issues of their claims in at least two newspaper issues no more than two months apart.

“You cannot have property unoccupied and unattended for a number of years and say it is yours, a person who has land has to protect it,” said Matthew.

Since the law was passed, he said that people have been slow to apply for these lands.

“They are not coming forward quickly enough, this is a brilliant opportunity to claim land.”