– Lethem Development Plan to be reviewed
– $200M to be spent on construction of roads, drains, structures and pure water distribution network in Tabatinga
– more than 2,000 persons expected to benefit.
THE Ministry of Housing and Water last weekend took its continuing and highly successful ‘One Stop Shop’ outreach programme to the expanding Lethem community in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) as the momentum builds toward the opening of the much- anticipated Takutu River Bridge linking Guyana with its giant southern neighbour, Brazil.

Minister Irfaan Ali addressing house lot applicants at Arapaima Primary School, Region Nine over the weekend. Sitting (from left) is Permanent Secretary Emil McGarrell, CEO of CH&PA Myrna Pitt and Region Nine Chairman Clarindo Lucas. (GINA photo)

The two-day exercise in collaboration with the ministry’s sister agencies the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was held on Saturday and Sunday at the Arapaima Primary School with over 200 transactions successfully carried out in an effort to fulfill persons dream of acquiring their own home.

The ‘One Stop Shop’ outreach drive aims at decentralizing the Ministry’s services across the ten administrative regions of Guyana and kicked off in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) and has since continued in Regions Six (East Berbice/Corentyne); Four (Demerara/Mahaica); Five (Mahaica/Berbice); and Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice).

The initiative involves setting up a replica of the Ministry and residents of Lethem and neighbouring communities were provided with the opportunity to interface and voice their concerns with Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali and senior officials of the CH&PA and GWI, in an effort to further improve the services in the housing and water sector.

During the exercise, the large contingent of staff from the ministry dealt with interviews; allocation of house lots; letter of allocation; identifying house lots; payments and general housing issues.

The ministry specifically addressed applications for house lots which were made prior to January 2008.

GWI representatives on hand also interfaced with persons to address the problems faced by the communities while commercial and financial institutions were available to inform customers on how to access loans and provide relevant information.

House lot applicants.

Among the future development for the region include developing a housing scheme in Culvert City and a Commercial and Industrial Zone in Lethem while the Tabatinga Housing Scheme is rapidly developing.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CH&PA, Ms. Myrna Pitt addressed the gathering before the exercise last Saturday, and noted that it is the sixth outreach initiated in areas where housing schemes have been established over the years.

“This outreach enables us to bring our services to the Lethem community as we seek to deliver our services directly to our allottees and seize the opportunity to have a first hand look at the area and its emerging issues especially as they relate to the Brazil/Guyana Takutu Bridge,” she stated.

She noted that the CH&PA was instrumental in the preparation of the Lethem Development Plan in recognition for the potential of growth in the area within the context of its strategic location in the southern most part of the country.

Pitt declared, “These are exciting times in Lethem. We expect that there will be an upsurge in commercial activity in the area and in this regard the Central Authority in association with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepared draft guidelines for the development of commercial land at Lethem.”

“We expect there will be housing related issues that would have to be addressed as a direct spin off of the expected increase in commercial activity,” she added.

Pitt assured the residents of the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the housing and water related issues that affect them in the area will be addressed as expeditiously as possible.

“This is especially relevant in an area that is as far flung as Lethem,” she observed.

The CEO said serious consideration will have to be given to recruiting an officer who can deal with housing and development planning issues as well as land use planning permission in the area.

“This would greatly contribute to more timely intervention in housing and planning matters by the Central Authority,” she alluded.

She reassured, “The CH&PA is committed to a process of continuous improvement and will seek to carefully review current trends in the Lethem area with a view to ensuring that the context is set for its orderly development.”

Pitt insisted, “The Tabatinga area does have the potential to be developed into an area that will be the envy of the rest of the country.”

She revealed that the Tabatinga area is slated for development under the upcoming Government of Guyana/Inter-American Development Bank (GOG/IDB) Second Low Income Settlements Programme which is slated to be implemented shortly.

She said the draft guidelines for the development of commercial land is one such example, explaining, “The inter-agency collaboration resulted in the integrated application of land use planning considerations and environmental management principles to inform the sighting of activities in relation to the commercial area and the future development of the area in general.”

“As things evolve, we expect that there will be increased demand for residential and commercial land,” she anticipated.

“Be assured that the existing Lethem Development Plan will be reviewed since this is necessary to ensure that its policies and proposals are in keeping with current emerging trends,” she stated.

Acting CEO of GWI, Mr. Yuri Chandisingh acknowledged that GWI is aware of the many problems that are experienced in the region, noting that ‘the real challenges – engineering economic and otherwise – lie within the hinterland.”

“In Lethem itself, I am advised that there are a number of concerns which we will address during the course of this journey and in consultation with you the residents,” he assured.

Minister Ali, in brief remarks, recalled that in the National Budget the government allocated in excess of $445M to be spent in Region Nine this year, a high percentage of which will be spent in the housing and water sector.

He noted, too, that during 2005 to 2007, approximately $12M was spent on the installation of a pure water distribution network at Culvert City.

“Approximately 220 house lots are to be allocated for residential purposes and commercial purposes in Lethem and that is what we hope to do in the next two days,” he told the gathering at the start of the One Stop Shop exercise.

He said approximately $200M is to be spent on the construction of roads, drains, structures and pure water distribution network in Tabatinga where over 2,000 persons are expected to benefit.

He added, “The same level of infrastructure development is earmarked for Culvert City once the process (over the weekend) would have been advanced.”

In the area of water development, plans are in place for the establishment of three new wells at approximately $3M; three new pump stations at some $18M; and the installation of pipe distribution network to be completed at approximately $32M.

He also reiterated that commercial, agricultural and tourism development among others would be as a direct result of the opening-up of the Guyana-Brazil border and the expansion of the economic and social horizon of Lethem and Guyana.

“The opening-up of the border brings tremendous scope yet challenges. If we do not control or we do not proactively take part in the economic development of Region Nine then persons from outside would take that access away from us,” he pointed out.

“In today’s world where we have globalization, free movement of people, and freedom in establishment of business – it is very difficult for government to control these variables so it is within our control that we have to do things to encourage persons to invest here in Lethem,”

he stressed.

The minister said the “One Stop Shop’ exercise would save residents’ time and cost in doing these transactions.

The minister also touched on the issues of breaching the regulations and terms of licensing of GWI; the illegal selling of house lots allocated; and occupancy.

“Some of us facilitate it by selling lots and some of us facilitate it by buying lots. Both ways is illegal and both parties are going to suffer. I am making the point loud and clear,” he declared.

Ali alluded to the commitment given by President Bharrat Jagdeo, during his Independence address, to set aside a $2B revolving fund for people who want to access loans for low income homes.

“This, of course, would be in addition to a number of initiatives that the CHP&A would be introducing in various regions in this country to move persons from a position of land ownership to home ownership,” the minister said.

Regional Chairman of Region Nine, Mr. Clarindo Lucas, also congratulated the minister for the ‘One Stop Shop’ initiative.

The ministry’s objective is to develop, process and allocate 17,000 house lots by December 2010 and the focus will be on every area where there is a demand.