THE housing drive, which began after the government came to office in 1992, is continuing apace.
It has never lost momentum; if anything, it gained pace with the result that tens of thousands of Guyanese have realised their dreams of owning homes.
One of the outstanding aspects of the housing development programme is that it is focusing on almost all the administrative regions and different areas within those regions, so that the development is scattered instead of being concentrated in only a few areas.
But while the housing boom is noticeable and acknowledged, perhaps what is not so noticeable is the fact there has been an equal boom in related construction businesses such as hardware dealers and stores, sawmilling and trucking.
These businesses have seen enormous growth and expansion across the country, which is of tremendous help to the national economy and job creation.
In addition, the scores of new housing schemes going up throughout the country have stimulated  decentralisation of the services sector, particularly commercial banks, which have set up branches in several of the new housing schemes – the latest in this respect being the new branches of major commercial banks at Diamond on the East Bank Demerara.
Also, new restaurants, repair shops of all types, and businesses are going up in these new schemes.
So, the housing drive is not purely limited to providing houses for people but it is simultaneously acting as an effective catalyst for the development and expansion of commercial and business enterprises.
It must be noted too that within the new housing schemes there is a tremendous amount of infrastructural development, including  new roads, bridges, drainage structures as well as the installation of electricity and water supply and street lights, among other services.
On this note, Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali, announced on Tuesday that the government is considering the creation of an alternative entrance and exit to the Diamond Housing Scheme.
He made the announcement while outlining immediate plans for upgrading roads in that scheme, at a community meeting in the Diamond Secondary School, to discuss developments there.
Mr. Ali said a study, undertaken by the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Public Works, showed that there is need for it and his ministry will host another such meeting in the area, later this year, to talk more about it.
He said, for the longer term, the government is still planning to build a parallel carriageway to supplement the East Bank highway, given the planned development of housing areas along the East Bank in the coming years.
This development is most welcome, because the traffic congestion in the area is becoming a serious problem and with more vehicles on the roads it would only worsen.
Therefore, it is wise to tackle it now rather than wait until it becomes explosive.