By Svetlana Marshall

“We will fix the housing problems with lasting solutions,” Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsible for Housing Valerie Adams Patterson said Monday as she addressed the National Assembly, noting that restrictions faced by young people in accessing house lots will soon come to an end.Minister Patterson said the current coalition government inherited an odious housing programme.
“A young man broke down in tears as he spoke to one of our staff. He was working for $75,000 per month, but was allocated a plot of land for $1.2M and was given one month to come up with $600,000 or lose the allocation,” Minister Patterson told the House as she alluded to one of the many complaints she has received. It was only recently that the young man was able to access an affordable house lot.
She said while persons who can afford to pay “a bit more” should be made to do so, teachers, nurses, and the men and women in uniforms should not be made to pay $1.2M for a plot of land.
In addition to the high prices for house lots, the young people of Guyana have been disrespected for far too long, Minister Patterson added.
“We tell our young people that they can get married at 18; they can obtain a driver’s licence at 18; and, Mr Speaker, they are wise enough to elect their leaders at 18 but they do not qualify to apply for a house lot. What kind of stone-age policy is that? Well, I am here to let our young people know that the disrespect will end,” the Minister with responsibility for Housing told the House.
While house lots will be distributed, she made it clear it will not be done in a haphazard manner. “Let me reiterate that we are not about handing out house lots, some of which can’t even be accessed. Our goal remains to provide serviced lots – access, electricity and water. And that takes time. We will not sacrifice quality on the altar of expediency.”
Positing that the Government is working assiduously to restore confidence of the masses, particularly those who still dream of owning their own homes, in spite of their income, Minister Patterson said her Ministry will be moving to redesign the Turn Key and Core House Programmes which have been plagued with a plethora of problems.
“It is felt that this home project would remain a favourite project for the Guyanese if the problems that developed with the passage of time on the houses can be controlled. Defects arose on the completed buildings even before the beneficiaries moved into their homes. Some of these defects have been fixed…but regrettably others have reoccurred,” the Minister said as she alluded to a report submitted to her on the Turn Key Home Programme.
According to the report, these defects arose due to a number of issues such as faulty design and poor site preparation.
“That situation will not continue under this APNU+AFC Government. I will ensure that people get value for their money. People must have that faith and confidence that when we say we have built them a house for $4.9M, they receive their money’s worth.”
It was made clear, that under her stewardship, there will be no room for substandard work. “Our detractors can scream to the highest heavens, anyone that fails to produce quality work will have their services terminated,” she posited noting that this will be the fresh approach to combat corruption.
Another issued on the card is the failure of allottees to occupy their house lots after 10 to 15 years, with some eventually selling their plots.
Despite the many challenges, she said the 2016 budget allocation provides the Department with a trajectory to accomplish its goals.
She said that the Government will forge ahead with its programme of establishing cohesive communities in which serviced lots, other social infrastructure and amenities including green spaces, parks and recreational facilities, are provided to ensure an improved quality life.
In 2016, she said, infrastructure works in existing housing schemes including the installation of electricity and provision of potable water will continue.
“New housing developments will commence in areas such as Perseverance, Stewartville, Cummings Lodge, Prospect, Williamsburg and Amelia’s Ward,” she further pointed out. It is estimated that 1,000 house lots will be allocated for 2016.
These projects, Minister Patterson further pointed out, will be executed using $5.279B.
She added that this year’s budget is linked to the Sustainable Human Settlement Development Programme under which Community Participation, Planning and Design; Community Infrastructure Development, Land Divestment and Squatter Regularization will be fostered.
But the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament Zulfikar Mustapha expressed dissatisfaction over statements made by Minister Patterson, positing that the Housing Sector was booming at the time the APNU+AFC Government entered Office.
“Mr Speaker if there is one programme, if there is one success story of the PPP Civic Government it would be the Housing Programme.” According him, when the PPP took office in 1992, there was no Ministry of Housing.
He said it was in 1993 that the PPP started a systematic programme of housing, subsequent to which thousands of Guyanese became home owners.