$105M contracts signed for first 98 core homes
CONTRACTS worth a total of $105M were signed on Monday for the construction of the first batch of 98 core houses, under the Ministry of Housing Second Low Income Housing Programme (LIS2). The signing, in the Brickdam, Georgetown boardroom of the Ministry, was the initial phase of the scheme that will see the units being erected in five designated areas, Westminster (One and Two), West Bank Demerara;  Area ‘B’ Lusignan and Section ‘EE’ Non Pariel (One and Two), East Coast Demerara; Block ‘D’ Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice and Tabatinga, Rupununi.
The LIS2 is a Government of Guyana/Inter-American Development (GoG/IDB) funded programme that has, as one of its components, the building of 400 such units in a pilot project that addresses issues of affordability and sustainability, with interventions by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA).
Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali said the affixing of the signatures marked the commencement the initiative, announced in the presentation of the 2010 National Budget as one of the strategic targets of his ministry.
“It is, indeed, another accomplishment in terms of achieving our set targets,” he stated.
Ali disclosed that G$440M (US$2.2M) have been allocated for the implementation of LIS2, which includes the constructing of the core homes.
In that regard, the Minister emphasised that the Ministry will be working closely with the contractors to ensure that most of the houses are completed by year end.
“The contractors will be tasked with working day and night to have the task completed,” he assured.
Additionally, Ali said G$200M more have been earmarked for the execution of the Hinterland Home Improvement Programme, another undertaking the Ministry is working aggressively to have realised.

Community meetings
With respect to that, he said: “We have been having a lot of community meetings across hinterland areas and riverine communities. Part of the strategy is to invest G$200M and, hopefully, by the end of the first quarter next year, this component will commence.”
Chief Executive Officer of CH&PA, Ms. Myrna Pitt explained that the units will be awarded to those beneficiaries in new and existing schemes who have satisfied the eligibility criteria and cannot afford to build their own homes.
She said the current design would enable the owner to expand as affordability improves or to increase the size.
“Today culminates the tendering process so that the construction of the houses can begin,” Pitt said.
Under the LIS2, there are several other projects slated for completion, among them the development of eight new housing schemes, at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; Recht Door Zee and Belle West, West Bank Demerara; Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara; Ordnance Fortlands and Number 76, Corentyne, Berbice; Bartica, along Essequibo River and Amelia’s Ward, Linden.
Another component involves the consolidation of seven existing schemes, where Ali said there will be improvements in infrastructure and the advancement of service delivery, to include water and electricity at Westminster; Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice; Recht Door Zee; Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, Bath, Tabatinga and Amelia’s Ward.
“Works have commenced in these areas and are advancing rapidly,” he informed disclosed.
Ali said five squatter areas, in Binkey Alley, Lusignan; Area ‘R’ and Block Five Ankerville and Eliza and Mary, all at Corentyne and Section ‘B’ Sophia, Greater Georgetown, are being upgraded.
He announced that the Ministry will be inviting tenders to erect the remaining 302 core homes when the first phase is 75 per cent complete.
Ali said, while the contractors are working on the first 98, the review of potential candidates for the pilot programme will be undertaken.
“The LIS2 programme is advancing rapidly. We are on target in terms of schedule,” he said.