Mabaruma to get Deeds and Commercial Registry office

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 July 2024, 8:42 by Writer

Mabaruma in Region One (Barima-Waini) will soon have its own Deeds and Commercial Registry office, providing crucial services to residents for the first time.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, made the announcement during an outreach on Monday.

The minister said the Deeds and Commercial Registry is a very crucial element of the country’s commercial and legal architecture.

The registry acts as a central hub for crucial information related to property ownership and some business activities.

“This service has never been extended to this region before. This is the first time in Guyana that the Deeds and Commercial Registry is having or will be having a presence here…We will establish an office here permanently,” the Attorney General was quoted as saying by government’s Department of Public Information (DPI).

This means the residents will no longer have to travel to Georgetown or the Essequibo Coast to access these services.

The new office will be established within the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) building, allowing residents to register businesses, file property deeds, and access ownership records – without leaving Mabaruma.

The undertaking will save residents time and money. It will also streamline business processes and potentially attract new entrepreneurs to the region.

The government also plans to open offices in townships countrywide, including Bartica (Region Seven), Mahdia (Region Eight), Lethem (Region Nine), and Linden (Region Ten).

Minister Nandlall’s announcement was met with great relief and excitement. For Claudette Wong, the new office will ease the burdens of many who may have financial constraints and as a result, would not be able to travel to Georgetown to access these services.

“It is good because [some of us] don’t have that money all the time to go to Georgetown and come back. I am glad that they are bringing it here because it would be very convenient for the people here in Mabaruma,” she told DPI.

Another resident, Yonette Linguise also expressed excitement at the announcement, lamenting, “It’s a very good idea to bring them here because we wouldn’t have to travel to Georgetown, and we could get it done right here in the region.” 

Like Linguise, Lloyd Cameron believes that this is a step in the right direction for Region One. He added that the move will also expand economic growth there.

“This is something [we have] been looking for, for a long time. It will help because people wouldn’t have to go to renew their papers and documents in town…Having it nearby will be good and it will also bring revenue,” Cameron revealed.

A Hosororo resident, Mary Brown said that she knew very little about registering her business before the attorney general’s outreach.

According to her, an office in the region would significantly help to educate the public on the services offered by the Deeds and Commercial Registry.

“I think it’s a good idea because, like me, there are a lot of persons who have to come from very far and remote areas, so it will be beneficial for us to be able to come right here to Mabaruma, and it will help persons to know more about the registration,” she opined.

Additionally, residents can look forward to even greater ease in conducting business with the upcoming implementation of card payments through the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI).

As Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley highlighted, these combined developments will revolutionise how business is conducted in Region One.

“The government, led by President Ali would have promised the people that they would bridge the gap between the coast and the hinterland regions. With the Deeds and Commercial Registry coming to the region, and now that GBTI is envisioning bringing the cashless payment system here, that would be a move in the right direction for the people of Region One,” the chairman said.

These announcements are built on a promise made by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, during a recent outreach in the region, and reflect the government’s commitment to bringing essential services closer to the people.