…Min. Ferguson says race on to clear 25,000 applications backlog

CENTRAL Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will commence house lot development in several new areas located in different regions, all in an effort to clear the backlog of more than 25,000 active applications in the system.

These locations include Cummings Lodge, Plantation Prospect, Vigilance (East Coast Demerara, Annandale, Plantation Experiment (West Coast Berbice) and Meten-meer-zorg on the West Coast Demerara. The first among these to be developed is Plantation Prospect and the development of the new area will include accessible roads, electrification and water lines installation. This was related by newly appointed Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson, on Tuesday evening during an interview on the programme ‘Straight Up’, which is aired every day on Benschop Radio.

While the minister is still transitioning into her new portfolio, she said that one of the main issues affecting Guyanese is allocation of house lots. She said many Guyanese have been waiting for over two decades to be allocated lands. The biggest hurdle presently is the availability of not only house lots, but developed house lots, since the government’s intention is to not just give out house lots, but to ensure all the necessary amenities are in place for livelihood. “My intent is not to just give out house lots, my intent is that those housing areas are properly developed so that people when they move in to start construction, they have electricity, they have water and they have accessibility, which is road,” Ferguson said.

She explained that the roads that will be constructed at this time will not be high quality asphalted roads, but just roads that will accommodate the movement of trucks transporting building materials. This is to avoid damaging the asphalt roads due to the traffic of heavy-duty vehicles. “Once you have an area with about 80 to 100 per cent occupancy, rest assured roads will be done properly to the asphaltic level,” Ferguson affirmed.
While there are hundreds of persons anxiously awaiting allocation, Ferguson said that priority will be given to persons who have had their applications in the system for years.

INTEGRATED SYSTEM
Meanwhile, to better manage the inquiry and allocation system, Ferguson said that she is currently working on a hotline system, where officers will be dealing with specific years and locations of housing application. She believes that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) needs to be more effective in serving the people, in this regard and all efforts will be exerted to ensure this is done. In addition, engagements about how the system can become more integrated to map all activities ongoing countrywide have commenced. While there are CH&PA regional offices in various administrative regions, the transactions ongoing in each region must be recorded on a system that can be accessible at any location. “I am working towards ensuring that the system is improved, so that one who is living in Region Nine must be able to stay in Region Nine and check his or her status and see what is happening,” she said.

ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION
This too will be used as a mechanism to root out corruption. She said that under her watch, the system of land allocation must be transparent and accessible to all Guyanese. “Under the watchful eyes of Annette Ferguson, there will be no corruption, there will be no favouritism. I believe in transparency…”she said.

Ferguson said that no one must be neglected in the process of owning a house lot and rubbished claims that only one group of people are benefitting from house lot allocations. She related that she returned to Essequibo after the government outreach that was held there in May and allocated over 40 house lots to residents. The housing minister noted that the government remains committed to bringing housing solutions to all Guyanese in an expedited manner.