THE Ministry with the responsibility has received an allocation of $3.6 billion to further facilitate the development of housing schemes across the country.
The sum is expected to result in the allotment of 7,500 house lots and the processing and distribution of 4,000 land titles to Guyanese, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said when he presented the 2011 National Budget last week Monday. He said government is cognisant of the value of home ownership and its nexus with reducing poverty and improving living standards.
“Our government is not satisfied to only provide access to affordable housing infrastructure but has also advanced initiatives to ensure that the process of home ownership is made more efficient and accessible,” Singh said.
He said the funds allocated this year will allow for the continuation of the progress witnessed in the housing sector last year, when $9.6 billion was credited for the purpose.
In addition, the ‘One Stop Shop’ outreach initiative, which started in 2009, will also be expanded to include Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), in the programme which aims at making the allocation process more efficient.
“Of the total allocation to the housing sector, $700M will be spent on improving the roads network and water distribution systems in areas such as Plantations Zeelugt and Leonora in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Mahdia in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni and from Providence to Eccles on East Bank Demerara, which will benefit approximately 1,500 households,” Singh added.
He said, under the Second Low Income Settlement Programme (LIS2), 148 core houses are to be built, 98 in the coastal regions and 50 for the Hinterland Housing Pilot Programme.

Targeted
The development of 7,446 new house lots in areas such as Five Miles, Bartica, in Region Seven, Amelia’s Ward in Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice) and Belle West in Region Three, is also targeted for this year and, in addition, the reconstruction and upgrading of existing roads in established housing schemes, through the Community Roads Improvement Project, will commence.
Singh announced that G$100M was allocated to see the commencement of a US$10M East Bank Housing Development Project which aims at constructing main access roads to new housing sites for the benefit of some 3,000 residents.
He said the projected development follows the precedent set in 2010, which included the allotting of 6,331 house lots as well as the distribution of 4,591 land titles, surpassing the set targets of 5,500 house lots and 3,750 land titles.
“This represents a significant increase, as compared to the 2009 allocation of 4,334 house lots and distribution of 4,257 land titles.
“Continuing to support this achievement is the ‘One Stop Shop Outreach’ conducted at 14 locations in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Three, Four  (Demerara/Mahaica), Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) and Ten, which benefitted more than 2,000 persons who received on the spot house lot allocations while the online housing application attracted 312 local applicants and 42 overseas applicants,” he elaborated.
Singh informed, too, that G$343.7M was expended, over the last year, for the successful completion of a G$2.2 billion housing project which has realised the construction and upgrading of roads, drains and structures for 4,636 lots in areas such as Cummings Lodge C&Y, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, Westminster, Belle West, Glasgow and Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice.
In an effort to provide community services in the newly established schemes, he said multi-purpose buildings were built at Belle West, Westminster, Cummings Lodge and Glasgow.
“A further G$680M was spent on the construction of roads, drains and structures in areas such as Block 8 Mon Repos, Plantation Schoonord, Anna Catherina and Hope Estate, while water distribution networks were provided at Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, Block 8 Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, Block X/Y Diamond, East Bank Demerara and Amelia’s Ward, Linden and electricity was supplied at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, Plantation Schoonord, West Bank Demerara and Section ‘D’ Non Pariel and Hope Estate, East Coast Demerara, for the benefit of more than 40,000 residents,” Singh related.
He said, under the Second Low Income Settlement Programme, road and water distribution networks have also commenced at established housing areas, such as Block 8 Tuschen, Section ‘EE’ Non Pariel, Ordnance Fortlands and Number 76 Village in East Berbice and Belle West, West Bank Demerara, as well as at squatter sites, including Section ‘D’ Sophia, Binkey Ally-Lusignan, East Coast Demerara and Block 5 and Areas R Ankerville in Berbice.