436 house lots distributed for Onderneeming
– located within the Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme
AS the Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), continues its efforts to develop the housing sector for the benefit of the Guyanese people and “realise their dreams of owning their own homes”, some 436 house lots were distributed on the West Bank of Demerara.

The applicants during the two-day exercise last Thursday and Friday selected their lot numbers by pulling of lots for Onderneeming Phase Two within Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara).

The process, which is part of the Ministry’s “One Stop Shop” programme and Onderneeming Phase II, has a total of 1, 029 house lots of which 580 lots will be allocated in the first phase.

The lots for this phase are all low-income lots costing some $92,000 each and Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali addressing the applicants last Thursday said, “You have waited a long time for this opportunity of having your own lot so that you can construct your own homes.”

“For those of you who are renting, I want you to carefully work out the economics of moving expeditiously to building your homes because if you are paying 15,000 for rental every month, if you multiple that by 12, you will get the amount you pay for the entire year,” he explained.

“If you take the same $15,000, and expeditiously move towards the construction of your own home, within four to five months your home will be completed and you will be paying back the bank at the same rate of rental,” he stated.

He said although these house lots are low income, the equity value is higher than paid for, adding, “If you add the value of the roads, water and so on that we put into the lots, it is actually almost $550,000 so the starting value that the bank would have on that lot is $550, 000,” the minister noted.

“Now, we want you to be very careful in your dream. I know some of us dream of over expanded homes. You must build homes that are optimal for your use so that you will not over extend yourselves in terms of having huge loans to repay,” he encouraged.

He said that the allottees can visit the CH&PA new website and there are building codes and some design options available and also, the engineering staff from the ministry can assist them in some low income design options and layout.

“We are doing this because we are concerned about the after sale service. We want our allottees to be comfortable in the scheme…,” he stated.

He said the Ministry is not only seeking to develop lands but “developing new communities” and disclosed that the Government has invested in excess of $400M on the construction of roads, drains and structures, and pure water distribution network.

Minister Ali said, “We cannot put the electricity in right now because we need the occupancy level. There is no sense we put in electricity facilities and we don’t have the occupancy level so the faster you build, the faster you are going to push us to get this done, and we are hoping to get this done by 2010.”

A further $80M is expected to be spent next year for the installation of electricity which will benefit approximately 2,500 persons.

“You have this opportunity of progressing in your life, of moving forward and we ask of you also to be discipline,” he stated.

“We know that there are some people who would approach you and offer you large sum of money for these lots, it is happening in a number of our housing schemes. Don’t be indiscipline or selfish and throw away or squander your opportunity of owning your own piece of land by selling and making a short term profit,” he urged.

He said that as the area develops, the value of that land will increase and it is important to have asset value in life noting, “Later on when your houses are completed, when the value of the area goes up further, you can even have small loans and you can even use your property as collateral.”

Minister Ali emphasised that these small loans can be used to “unleash their entrepreneurial qualities and skills” noting these are the trickled down benefits of housing.

He disclosed that the ultimate goal is to have a 1,000 house lots in the area allocated by the end January noting the type of linkages housing create with huge injection into the economy and creating temporary jobs.

He reminded that applicants can now apply for house lots online and the ministry is now looking at interconnecting with the commercial banks so that applicants can apply to a bank for a housing loan through its website.

“These are all improvements we are trying to bring to the people,” he asserted, and reminded that his Ministry has completed more than 10,000 interviews compared to a target of about 2,500, and has exceeded its target of allocating 1,500 lots by almost 100 per cent.

To this end, the minister recognised the effort of his staff noting, “I am happy that today, they have been able to deliver, and through their work and through your patience we are able to bring this service to you”.

He said the ministry is now moving forward with new developments in Tuschen and Zeelugt in Region Three and are looking to expanding development in Non Pariel on the East Coast of Demerara in 2010.

He also expressed his satisfaction that the CEO of Citizens Bank is present adding, “This shows you the level of ownership and the level of interest that is demonstrated in housing especially low income housing by the private sector in the form of citizen bank and all the other banks.”

Land Development and Administrative Manager CH&PA, Ms. Denise King-Tudor said, “This is our second to last ‘One Stop Shop’ before the close of the year and on Monday; we will have our final ‘One Stop Shop’ dealing with applicants for Diamond housing Scheme”.

“It is our pleasure and we are happy to be able to serve you and to provide you with a house lot so that you will be able to construct your house,” she posited.

Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Bank, Mr. Eton Chester, took the opportunity to interact with the allottees and explain the service offered by the bank.

He complimented the Government for the “very large and expansive housing drive noting that the Bankers’ Association has come out in support of the Government and have welcomed the Government’s change of increasing the low income ceiling from $3M to $8M.