-at first One-Stop-Shop for 2011
The Ministry of Housing and Water’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Friday commenced its first phase of house lots distribution at its One-Stop-Shop initiative, at the Albion Community Centre Berbice, for prospective home owners of Block 5, Ankerville, Port Mourant. The 163 house lot applications processed will provide for about 652 persons.
“Today is proof of the housing programme, that we have all these persons here this morning who would be beneficiaries of the Government of Guyana’s housing programme. We believe that housing is an integral tool; housing is one of the most tangible ways of transforming the lives of people, it is one of the most tangible ways of economic uplift, and housing also has a very structured way of balancing the economy,” Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali remarked, while addressing the allottees.
He said that more than $117M was invested to ensure that the lots available are a reality.
He disclosed that the exercise is just the beginning of more to come.
“In 2011, across the country, we have 18 One-Stop-Shops planned …once we aggressively implement our programmes, we can push that up to 20; and with the hardworking staff at CH&PA; we are going to be in the position to surpass that target.”
In addition, Region Six will soon benefit from another such exercise that will see 200 lots being allocated to potential home-owners.
“By the end of the month, Region Six will have 363 lots allocated. This is the first region that will be in the position to be looking at applications in 2011, which means we are slowly coming to meet the demands for house lots distribution in Region Six,” Minister Ali remarked.
He urged allottees to make full use of the facilities that were offered during the One-Stop-Shop to build the necessary relationships with financial institutions, hardware stores, and private home developers who were present at the exercise to provide support and information.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the Housing and Water Ministry, Emile McGarrel, explained that the ministry would cater for the provision of roads, water and electricity in the housing schemes.
McGarrel said works have commenced in Block 5, Ankerville, Port Mourant.
“So far, drainage has been developed, and 10.2 km of roads and pipes have been completed.”
According to Chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha, the region has seen a transformation in terms of housing development, a reflection of the commitment of the PPP/C administration to empowering people.
“ One way to empower people is to ensure they are owners of their own homes; and when you look over the years, those housing schemes that we have in the region are now filled to capacity; that shows the extent that many persons/residents of Region Six are now owners of their own homes.”
Mustapha assured that his administration is looking at additional land in Region Six, so that more housing schemes are developed and persons can be empowered to own their homes.
He also commended the Housing and Water Ministry for bringing the One-Stop-Shop to the region.
Recipients of the house lots expressed profound gratitude to the ministry for making it possible for them to secure their homes very easily.
Under this government thus far, 23 housing schemes have been developed in Region Six.
In 2010, there were 14 One-Stop-Shops, touching most of the regions, with in excess of 10,000 lots being distributed in areas such as Tuschen, Mahdia, Fort Ordnance, Onderneeming, Hope Estate, Non Pariel, Amelia’s Ward, Wismar and Block 22 in Linden.
This year government  will distribute 7,000 house lots. (GINA)