Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has instructed Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to map out and identify all available reserve lands in their communities, saying these areas must be used to support small businesses, create organised commercial zones, and develop safe recreational spaces for families.
Jagdeo, who briefly addressed the officials during a meeting on Thursday, said this land-identification exercise must be completed by January 15 and must prioritise long-term community development rather than accommodate informal or unregulated business activity.
He emphasised that the government’s goal is to modernise communities by removing disruptive commercial activities from residential streets, reducing pollution, clearing squatting on reserves, and expanding access to safe public spaces.
“We need to find land in each of these NDCs… not for the purpose of giving some businessman the land, because often the businessmen go and start squatting,” he said. “We need land in these big villages… so we can develop the infrastructure.”
The Vice President said some communities, especially larger ones like Buxton, Lusignan, and Good Hope, need dedicated zones where mechanics, spray painters, car wash operators, and other small businesses can operate without disturbing residents.
He explained that similar plans are already being implemented along the East Coast corridor, where land near the seawall and other reserves will be used for structured parking lots, commercial clusters, and recreational areas.
Jagdeo said these developments will allow communities to move polluting activities off the streets, reduce congestion, and introduce safer, cleaner environments where families can gather.
“We want places where people can go in the evenings with their families, safe places for children, for the elderly, for people to exercise,” he told councilors. “That is the vision.”
He also urged NDCs to address persistent issues such as drainage, garbage disposal, and street lighting, noting that government has already increased NDC subventions from $5 million to $30 million, provided equipment, and will soon install approximately 90,000 new street lights nationwide.
Jagdeo stressed that these local-level improvements form part of the administration’s broader push to deliver on its commitments, now that national elections are over.
“We’ve gone back to work. We have to now deliver on our promises,” he said.
The Vice President called on regional and local leaders to collaborate, speed up approvals, and prevent squatting, particularly on seawall reserves where some persons, including foreigners, have begun settling.
He said identifying the available land is the first step in developing a structured plan for each community.

NDC officials at the meeting