Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Juretha Fernandes, today raised pertinent questions about the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC)’s operational status. During the consideration of the 2024 budget estimates in the Committee of Supply, the parliamentarian’s focus turned to the absence of a Board of Directors, a critical component mandated by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Act.
Fernandes queried with Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira on the current status of the Board, to which Teixeira forthrightly responded, “The Lands and Surveys Commission’s Board of Directors is not in place.” This admission laid the groundwork for further inquiry into how the commission, which operates under the legal framework stipulating a monthly board meeting, functions without a constituted board.
The Opposition Member pressed Teixeira on this apparent contradiction, referencing the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Act (59:05) as she sought clarity on the operational legitimacy of the commission in the absence of a board. In response, Minister Teixeira provided insight, stating, “I’m advised that although there is no board, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (Enrique Monize) under the law has certain rights—things he can do without the board.”
Monize replaced former Lands and Surveys CEO , Trevor Benn, after he was instructed on September 2020, to proceed on 42 days of annualised vacation and to prepare a handover/takeover statement to be given to Monize, who will be acting in his position.
Benn’s contract was eventually terminated in November 2020. His sacking from the commission was in relation to the alleged leasing of lands at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) without following due process.
Nevertheless, as questions lingered on the Commission’s lack of a board since 2020, Teixeira acknowledged the significance of the matter. She expressed hope that in 2024, the government would appoint a board, emphasizing the importance of having the necessary governance structure in place.
As the discussion continued, another opposition Member of Parliament, Tabitha-Saribo Halley questioned Minister Teixeira about lands sold to other government agencies in recent years. Teixeira admitted to not having that specific information, citing that revenue-related matters are not typically within her purview.
She apologized for not being prepared for the question but clarified that lands assigned by the Cabinet for housing or other purposes would not incur a cost. However, she could not confirm details regarding private lands sold or processed by the commission.
