Report: Regional Consultative Meetings on Land - Land Commission

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activities;
By government of Liberia laying out the entire
country;
By abolishing “letters of administration”;
By government taking possession of deeds of
all land already sold
By government verifying all land documents
before they are probated.
TOPIC III: Promoting effective land administration
and management.
Question: What is your understanding of a land
deed? A lease? Squatter’s right?
Responses:
• Land deed: Legal document of entitlement;
• Lease: An agreement between parties for a
short time possession of a property;
• Squatter’s rights: Temporary use of a government
land. But, there is legally no such thing
as “squatter’s right”.
Questions: What role should local communities
play in managing land, forests and mining?
Responses:
Land:
• Set up law to govern use;
• Work along with government on contracts,
through consultation;
• By protecting land from criminals;
• By serving as security, mediator of land;
• By working along with government to administer
land issue;
• By informing government about land issue
• Forest:
• That agreements/contracts should be done in
consultation with communities. They know
their forest better;
• Restrict hunting
Mining:
• Identify area for use
• Contracts should be signed in the community,
not in big hotels in Monrovia/abroad.
Questions: What kind of land records should
there be? Who should keep these records?
48 Governance Commisssion - Liberia
Responses:
• Title deeds (That are registered and probated);
• Government should develop an Information
Technology (IT)/Data Base system though
out the country;
• Government should keep original document
while land owner keeps the duplicate;
• Government should employ people of good
character at record offices (Lands, Mines &
Energy/Archives & Ministry of Public Works,
etc.).
Question: What do you think about putting land
aside for public use, e.g. Parks, cemeteries, playgrounds,
etc.?
Responses:
• It is critical because land is insufficient due to
improper planning by government.
Question: What is your understanding of zoning
laws and regulations?
Responses:
• Zoning laws tells you how, what and where
to erect a structure (residence, business, factory,
funeral homes, etc). For example, houses
should be built with toilet to reduce pollution
problems.
Question: Environmental regulations? How
should these laws and regulations be enforced?
Responses:
• Environment regulations: Ordinances defining
where and what to build in a locality.
TOPIC IV: Promoting investment in and development
of the nation’s land resources.
Question: What should be done with land that
is not being utilized? What should be done with
abandoned property and vacant lots?
Responses:
• Investigate who owns land and why not utilized;
• Government should possess said land after
twenty (20) years;