At Region Three signing…
MINISTER of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali has given the assurance that the Government of Guyana will continue to work with the people for the benefit of them all.
He said so during a community meeting at Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, on Thursday. The meeting was held in the Tuschen Primary School during which two contracts, for $121.3M, were signed for the rehabilitation of 11 roads in the area. Ali said another contract, for the paving of the main access road, will be initialled next week.
When the latter is done, it would make a total investment of $200M spent to directly benefit 2,624 house lots in the scheme, Ali announced.
According to him, the deals struck between his ministry’s contractors Kares Engineering Incorporated and Ramzan Alli Contracting Company are a direct result of undertakings by President Bharrat Jagdeo during the June 2010 Cabinet outreach in the community.
“We are here to commence what has been long awaited for the residents and we are in the process of keeping commitments which were made to you last year and to ensure that the benefits are realised at the community level,” Ali stated.
He reminded residents of the many concerns raised during the Cabinet activity, which included the lack of proper roads, electricity and drainage works and conflicts over the use of the frontage in the scheme.
Ali said: “What we are doing today is representative of the value of the community outreach programmes and of the fact that you have a responsive Government.”
He also acknowledged that the residents’ presence at the signing demonstrates their interest in their community’s development, a particular concern for the Administration, which believes in collaboration with the people as they move into a new era.
The Minister also assured that, by the end of March, an $80M well will be commissioned to relieve some residents.

THREATENED
Ali noted that many persons who were allocated lots in the Tuschen area have still not built houses and said: “This is creating a lot of problems for us in the community not only at the infrastructure level, but the security and drainage in the area are also threatened.”
In addition, he said, at the wider Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) level, works would soon commence on the Community Road Improvement Project (CRIP) that would see an investment of $160M in the Tuschen/Uitvlugt NDC.
“In this NDC, we would have invested almost $500M in roads alone,” he observed.
Ali said from 2000 to 2010, at least $1.1 billion were expended on housing in Tuschen Phase One and, to date, $1.6 billion on both phases, in which 3,320 lots were created for 13,000 people.
About the works contracted, he informed the residents that unpriced copies of the bill of quantities would be left with them, as they have a role to play in ensuring that the execution is done in a sustainable manner, for the benefit of future generations.
“By doing this, you will help us to monitor and supervise the contractors and help to ensure that they are building in accordance with specifications and standards set out in the contract documents, as you are the final beneficiaries,” Ali reminded them.
He disclosed that work has also begun to clear land at Zeelugt, also on the East Bank Essequibo, which has been identified as the next area of expansion to accommodate an additional 900 lots, with a further investment of $250M.
“In total, there would be an investment of $400M in the Zeelugt Housing Scheme alone, which would see the provision of basic roads, water and drainage,” Ali stated.
He said 250 more house lots will be added to the Leonora Scheme, at West Coast Demerara, adding up to 2,100 new lots in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) by year end.

COMMITMENT
“This points to development and the Government’s commitment to, the extension of social services and involvement of decision making, which remains paramount in the way we govern and the way we implement our projects,” Ali asserted.
He calculated that the total invested in the housing sector in Region Three is $17 billion, benefitting 100,000 residents.
“This is testimony to our commitment to the expansion and development of the housing sector in Region Three,” Ali said.
Regional Chairman, Mr. Julius Faerber challenged the residents to remain cognisant of the fact that the Government and the Ministry of Housing have undertaken to have roads in the community upgraded and said they should work in collaboration, by acting as monitors of the projects.
“You are the ones who will benefit, so you need to monitor the quality of work being done in your community,” he concurred.
Faerber also encouraged the residents to make sure they use the roads in a sustainable manner and implored them to desist from activities which will undermine their integrity, including cattle rearing.
On Wednesday, two other contracts, valued $70.8M, were signed for road works in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara and, on  Tuesday, Ali unveiled a $130M programme for roads upgrade in Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.