THE Government is looking at ways to reduce the total cost for a house under its ‘cohesive communities’ programme.Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, said Government is working assiduously to ensure that all Guyanese can afford a home. “It is of touching concern that people are paying a lot of money for lands,” Scott told the Government Information Agency (GINA) in an interview.
Scott, who holds ministerial responsibility for Housing, revealed that the cost for lands is not necessary exploitative, but the cost of infrastructure has influenced that greatly. “So because of that aspect of it, I have started a unit to examine the cost of infrastructure, with a view of bringing down that cost,” he explained.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Communities is now thinking of new designs and types of houses, with a view of bringing down the cost to build a house to as low as $3 million. “I already got proposals from some developers, who are offering to build houses for as low as $3 million. One man say he can go up to $2.8 million. These are in the discussion stage. After we examine that, I intend to do everything in my power to ensure that we can bring down the cost for houses,” Minister Scott promised.
The minister said he understands the struggles many face to build a house. He added that the ministry has not abandoned giving out house lots. “There will always be people who are so poor that $3M will be a lot, but if they have a piece of land, they might be able to engage in self-help activity, which we are encouraging, so that they can bring down the cost,” he said.
The minister is in discussion with organisations like Habitat for Humanity in this regard.