– Minister Ali
OVER the past seven years, more than $2.1B has been devoted to the housing sector in Region 10, to ensure that residents benefit from house lots and the attendant services. More recently, $500M has been invested for installation of necessary infrastructure and essential services including roads, water and electricity in the Amelia’s Ward phase 111 where 1,000 of the region’s families have received houselots.

The massive housing drive by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration over the last decade has seen thousands upon thousands of Guyanese now enjoying a comfortable life and improved standard of living.
Government, in the process of fulfilling yet another major promise to the people of Linden, took the Housing Ministry’s One Stop Shop to the region where the lots were processed for the Amelia’s Ward, phase 111. The scheme was funded by a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank and the Government of Guyana.

Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, addressing the huge gathering, said the housing sector in Guyana over the last five years has seen tremendous growth both in the private and public sectors, and that government’s efforts to bridge the infrastructural gap will help to create social and economic competitiveness.

Government, he said, is committed to the advancement of the social development of the country and, the provision of access to basic facilities including housing, education, sanitation, road, water and electricity.
“Development has a cost, the establishment of these housing schemes has a cost and our country has been developing at a rapid pace over the last five years…if you look at our economic performance we have grown more than 5.5 percent for the first half of this year,” Minister Ali said.  
While Guyana has recorded growth in the economy, some countries in the Caribbean and South America have difficulties in meeting their expenses, he said, while alluding to the debt situation that the Administration inherited and which has changed drastically today. 
With this in mind, Minister Ali said the annual per capita growth of Gross Domestic Product of the economy, after the devastating loss of the 2005 flood is testimony to Guyana’s rapid development.     
“The growth in the economy is allowing us to invest more and more into the country…that is why we can have 13 ‘One Stop Shops’, expanded housing development and other massive developments taking place across the country,” Minister Ali stated.
Government, he said, understands the critical role of home ownership in transforming people’s economic stability and improving the family unit as “it improves your asset base; it improves your net worth”.

He reassured the residents of Linden that Government is committed to meeting the dream of every single Guyanese in owning a home, notwithstanding political rhetoric, to derail its investment to improve the lives of Guyanese.
The development of phase three in Amelia’s Ward, he said, will have trickle-down effects in the region.
The consolidated partnership of public/private entities, he said, has contributed greatly to the improvement of the quality of life for Guyanese.
“Over the last three years we have seen a progressive move by the banks in giving loans for home construction…and that the people of Linden are as aggressive in repayment and building like another place in the country, so we want the private sector to ensure that their programmes and policies are crafted in a way to meet the needs of Region 10,” Minister Ali urged.
Every region in Guyana, he said, has its own peculiarities so “we want the bank to play an aggressive role in ensuring that every person has access to the resources”.  
Government has put in place the necessary incentives so that Guyanese and potential home owners can access loans at an interest rate of 4.2 percent.
In this regard, Minister Ali also urged residents to occupy their lots in a timely manner and to make good use of the facilities being provided by the government.
Speaking at Thursday’s One Stop Shop, he said, “the total revenue that we will collect after the process is $176,200,000 …in the last seven years we have invested more than $2.1B in the housing sector in Region 10.”
He also informed residents of other works being done in the region to develop more housing areas including Block 22 Wisroc that will see an additional 740 lots made available by early 2012.
Director of operations at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Denise King -Tudor said that large tracts of lands continue to be developed across the country to meet the housing demands of thousands of Guyanese.
“The land distribution system is transparent and is being executed in an equitable manner to eligible applicants,” King-Tudor said.  
She also said that distribution of house lots has led to the increase in demand for skilled workers in the construction and building sector.
The official also informed residents of other programmes being executed by the Ministry of Housing, including the core home project. 
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds also used the occasion to wish potential home owners well as they embark on a journey of realizing the Guyanese dream of owning  their homes.
“For as long as there is need for housing, the government is committed to proving the same…I want to commend all of you for taking this bold step toward home ownership,” the Prime Minister said.     
Thursday’s One Stop Shop event is the 13th hosted by the ministry for this year. In 2009, there were 12 One Stop Shop exercises in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10; while in 2010, there were 15 such interventions in Regions 2, 3, 4, 6, 8.
Government only recently signed a US$12.3M contract for the modernization of the water distribution system in the region and the Agriculture Ministry commissioned a kiln drying facility to boost value added forest products. (GINA)