THE MINISTRY of Communities, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), has extended to Thursday, June 2, the deadline to complete payment under the Jubilee 50/50 Payment Plan.According to a release from the Office of the Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson, the extension is applicable to those persons who, at the end of April, would have completed paying the first half of the cost of the land that was allocated to them.

“Those persons would have qualified for a 50 per cent discount on the second half. They now have until June 2 to complete their payment in order to maintain the discount,” the release stated.

The CH&PA announced in February that it was slashing 25 per cent off the initial cost of house lots, but applicants must have first paid down 50 per cent by May 1.

Minister Adams-Patterson, who made the disclosure, announced that the initiative, called the CH&PA 50/50 Payment Plan, is all part and parcel of a programme of activities the Ministry has planned for the 50th Independence Anniversary celebration.

She explained that once 50 per cent of the initial cost of the house lot was paid by May 1, then 50 per cent of the remainder would be deducted by the Housing Authority.

As the minister further explained, “If you have an allocation, a house lot for $1M, and by May 1 you would have completed paying $500,000, which is 50 per cent, you will have a 50 per cent reduction on the balance. So you will have a discount of $250,000. I think that you cannot want anything better than that.”

She cautioned that while the initiative is in keeping with the Government’s intention of providing Guyanese with affordable house lots, this “Jubilee offer” does not apply to applicants whose house lots cost in excess of $3M; and it is not applicable to persons who have lots in the remigrant, industrial and commercial zones.