Culture change necessary in new housing schemes
– Minister Ali
THE Ministry of Housing and Water and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) have instituted a more rigid system, comprising a series of checks and balances, in an effort to enhance their allocation process. Minister with the portfolio, Mr. Irfaan Ali made the disclosure on Monday, during the ‘One Stop Shop’ in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), where approximately 500 of the 740 lots available in Recht-Door Zee, were distributed.

He said the rigidity was deemed necessary since it has been discovered that an alarming number of persons are misleading the CH&PA in the application procedure, in an attempt to obtain “double allocations”.

“This issue deals with misrepresentation. There are persons who intentionally mislead. There are many persons who come to us and say they do not have relationships with their partners anymore, especially in common law. One partner might already have a house lot and the other may try to mislead us, hence acquiring a double allocation,” Ali explained.

Persons found guilty of this will not only face repossession of their lots, but CH&PA will not refund the cost of the land.

“Once we find out, we will impose that penalty,” the minister asserted.

He added: “As a result of the rigid system in place, we have been able to capture a number of fraudsters in society, who would sell house lots, pretend to be housing staff. We have a number of them before the courts.”
Ali warned that those persons found guilty of purchasing lots illegally will also be charged just like those who are selling.
He said: “I’m sending this message that if you buy illegally, prepare to be charged criminally, because you will be part of an illegal transaction. We have to guard against these fraudsters.”

PRESSING ISSUES
In addition to that problem, Ali revealed that there are other pressing issues facing the ministry, for which the officials have instituted new clauses into the agreements of sale.
He emphasised that such problems cannot be dealt with effectively until there has been a “culture change” among the residents in these new schemes.
One of the new clauses deals with residents dumping sand, dirt and other construction materials on the roadways.
“In the new schemes, if you put those materials there you have 24 hours to remove them. If you do not, then we will institute a fine of $10,000 daily,” the minister pronounced.
Ali said the fine is set at a high level not for the residents to pay, but rather for them to understand the seriousness of the offence and appreciate the investment made on their behalf.
Another area of concern in the new schemes is that of maintenance of allocated lots and the minister said, if the CH&PA intervenes to upkeep the places, a fine will be imposed.
He continued: “The other clause that we are seeking to address has to do with the maintenance of your lots. We understand that some people will build at varying times but you have the obligation to upkeep lots as it is unfair to those who are building to have overgrown bushes next door.”
Ali said CH&PA will do the decent thing in the future and clean those lots. “But we will surcharge the allotees the cost of cleaning the lot, plus 25 per cent.”
The Housing Minister urged those present to recognise that culture and behavioural changes are necessary, if the citizens of this country will benefit from the rapid transformation sweeping the country.
“I am happy to say that, slowly, we will get there as we have a country that is taking off on an economic frontier. Oil and gas potential, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which is generating revenue, all of this increase in wealth will also change our culture and the way we approach development,” he asserted.
Minister Ali announced that Monday’s allocation exercise was the penultimate one in Region 3, this year, to be followed by one at Leonora.
Another is scheduled for Linden in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice), where 1,000 lots are to be allocated.