Moving Displaced from Gardí Sugdub to Isberyala is Complete

The plan, which spanned from Monday, June 3 to Thursday, June 6 allowed families and their belongings to be transported from the island to the Niga Kantule port by boat.  Later, double cabin trucks were waiting to take them to their homes in the residential area on the mainland in the Narganá district. 

The move from the Gardí Sugdub island to the Nuevo Cartí Urbanization residential project, renamed Isberyala, in the Guna Yala Region, concluded satisfactorily this Thursday, reported the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (Miviot).  Miviot community liaison in Guna Yala, explained that the Gardí Sugdub island was divided into six sectors, A, B, C, D, E and F, where the mobilization of people with disabilities was prioritized and in whose logistics he participated.  A Guna translator was arranged to locate the areas easily. 

Melany, 27, moved to Isberyala with her spouse Johan Herman, 28, and their two children, ages 7 and 4. “We were letting them know so they could be ready with our belongings,” she said.

“Little by little we are getting used to it.  We have been living on the island for many years,” said a community member, who has lived with his 68-year-old adoptive father and his 79-year-old grandmother.  For his part, community leader Albertino Davies said that in the last few hours some families were moving some minimal things to their new residences and that over the weekend they are planning to hold an assembly in Isberyala, where they will address the disposal of garbage, electricity, water, among other topics. 

An example of the housing provided in new community, Isberyala.

The moving schedule included a total of 30 boats and 30 double-cab institutional vans, as well as volunteers who collaborated by helping to lift and lower the belongings to the homes.  A Miviot report highlights that a total of 1,351 people will live in Isberyala, broken down into 495 minors (between zero and 17 years old) and 856 adults, of which 138 range from 65 to 93 years old, considered older adults.  The resettlement, with 300 housing solutions and 300 meters of land each, all subsidized so that they are free, includes streets, sidewalks, power lines, aqueduct, playgrounds, water tank, as well as space for a church and Congress House.