TWO hundred and sixty four families in Region 3 are now one step closer to becoming first time home owners as the Ministry of Housing and Water took its first ‘One Stop Shop’ housing initiative for 2015 to the region. The joyful beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Government for the measures put in place to allow citizens to benefit from this form of security.
A total of 69 lots in the community of De-Willem were allocated, 54 of which are valued $700,000 each, while 195 lots were allocated in Zeeburg, 154 of which are similarly valued.
According to Minister of Housing and Water, Mr Irfaan Ali, this allocation will benefit 1,082 individuals.

The development of this project was done through a contracted sum of $213M by Chung’s Global Enterprise.  Minister Ali further pointed out that the project is 60% completed, with the installation of water network and application of crusher run to soon commence.
Also, the installation of electricity that will cost Government $40M will commence in these areas before December.
Further, other consolidated expenditure to Government includes the construction of the asphalted concrete main road to the tune of $63M and infrastructure works at a cost of $213M. This, when added to the $40M electricity installation, shows an investment of $316M by Government, all to benefit the residents of this area.
Minister Ali added that Government provides a subsidy of $590,909 to every household through its housing policy, which would be equivalent to $144,124 at an individual level, and a total of $156M for the new home owners of these areas.
Reflecting on the developments and investments in the region, the Housing Minister pointed out that from the period 2000 to 2015, the Government expended $17B in housing development, creating housing schemes such as Zeelugt North and South, Tuschen North and South, Uitvlugt, Anna Catherina, Cornelia Ida, Leonora, Zeeburg, De Willem, Parfaite Harmonie, Onderneeming, Westminster, Rect-Door-Zee, Lust-En-Rust, Schoon-Ord, and Belle West Phases I and II.
This investment has provided 25,000 lots to 102,500 beneficiaries, taking these persons/families one step closer to owning a home.
The minister added that numerous developmental projects are on-going, one of which is the upgrading of approximately 15 kilometres of asphaltic, concrete-surface roads, at a cost of approximately $1.2B, in Tuschen, Zeelugt, Meten-Meer-Zorg, Zeeburg, De Willem, Uitvlugt, Ocean View, Leonora, Anna Catherina, Cornelia Ida, Windsor Forest, Parfaite Harmonie, Onderneeming, Westminster, Recth-Door-Zee, Lust En Rust, Schoon-Ord and Belle West.
Minister Ali reiterated that in 2009, the demand for house lots in Region 3 was 6000, and taking into consideration the new applicants over the years, today this has been reduced by 66%.
He also informed that government has just secured a loan of $3B which will see infrastructural development for approximately 310 acres of land at Stewartville, Anna Catherina and Cornelia Ida.
This project will cater for the remaining applications, as Government commits to reducing the figure by the end of 2017.  This will see approximately $2B being invested to develop 1,500 house lots.
Minister Ali also pointed out that the administration has shown that it has the capacity to realise and address the needs of its people, and it will not rest until the housing needs of every citizen is fully realised.
President Donald Ramotar, who was also present at the event, said, “One of the most important things human beings need in order to improve their lives and (so) add to the quality of life, is the security of home ownership, owning their own homes. I think that that is one of the most important things that contribute to a good quality of life.”
The President reflected on the past, when Guyana had no housing programme and very few persons were able to own their own homes, noting that he wasn’t able to acquire his own home until his golden years.
Region 3 Chairman Julius Faerber,  welcomed the new land owners to the region, and urged them to work with the administration for the development of themselves and their allocated areas.
This ‘One Stop Shop’, held under the theme ‘Live the Guyanese dream–homeownership made easier’, is the 17th such initiative held in the region.