HOUSING and Water Minister Irfaan Ali yesterday announced several new housing initiatives underway for low-income earners in partnership with the private sector.
He said that in addition to the commercial banks, National Hardware and Global Hardware have joined the partnership to provide a better service to people and anticipated that they will offer special discounts to persons with low income house lots.
Minister Ali said too that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has completed allocations for almost 6,000 house lots to date, and so far this year, has allocated almost 1,500 house lots.
At yesterday’s One Stop Shop house lots allocation outreach at the agency’s Brickdam, Georgetown office, he told the large gathering that all the development works for the various housing schemes are ahead of schedule.
All roads and infrastructure works that have been completed and ongoing, he said, were designed and supervised entirely by the in-house staff of the CH&PA which has saved the government hundreds of millions of dollars.
“We will ensure that not only that 17,000 house lots target is achieved, but we took the liberty to increase it by 3,000 to 20, 000,” he announced.
To this end, he said the ministry has embarked on several initiatives to ensure that the service offered is people-centred.
He said that in addition to the core home design, there are various design options for low income earners.
“That would have cost you at least $25,000 to put that documentation together to go to the bank for a loan,” he said.
He said that service will be offered free to the allottees at the One Stop Shop, and assured that they have worked out with the banks a partnership to ensure that they can deliver the package required for loans to be approved speedily.
In terms of the building codes, he said a special brochure will be introduced which is designed to give people an understanding of what the codes are so that they would protect themselves from the vulnerabilities that global warming and other climatic conditions present.
He also announced that the authorities have developed for low income families a guideline or construction tips on how to construct the foundation by themselves.
“This is an innovative way that you can give that counterpart contribution that is required by the bank that would save you a lot of money,” he said.
He announced that a ‘Building Exposition Guyana’ is slated to be held from August 6 to 8, 2010, which is going to be regional in that the ministry has already secured commitment from a number of regional companies including in Trinidad, to be part of the anticipated huge exhibition.
Referring to the time taken to process transports, he said the ministry have engaged the relevant authorities on the issue and are working aggressively to ensure that transports for new allottees can be processed within three months.
He referred to the implementation of the geographical information system (GIS) instrument to help in integrated development at the ministry.
Ali said the authorities have launched, too, the partnership with professional groups including nurses, teachers and the police “where we are going to work aggressively on developing core homes and having them integrated with the banking system”.
He said the three banks at yesterday’s exercise will be further demonstrating their commitment to the “housing sector in a few weeks by establishing permanently offices at the Ministry of Housing and Water.”
“This is the integrated approach and the partnership we are looking for,” he declared, acknowledging the contribution and support of the banks in helping them to expand and accelerate the home ownership drive.
He reminded that his year, the ministry will commence the process of having more than 200 core homes constructed in hinterland communities.
“The staff of the ministry stands committed in delivering the improved service to our people and ensuring that your commitment and directive is executed in an efficient manner,” he assured.