By Vanessa Braithwaite

THIRTY-ONE Lindeners have benefited from the Home Improvement Subsidy implemented by the Central Housing and Planning Authority of the Ministry of Communities.In a ceremony held on Friday in the boardroom of the Linden Enterprise Network, the 31 recipients each received a voucher worth $50,000 from the Minister of Communities, Valarie Patterson, who congratulated them and encouraged them to use the vouchers for their intended purpose: to improve the homes or living environs of the recipients.

Minister Patterson said the project, embarked on by the Communities Ministry, must have a regional spur, as she is cognisant that poor living conditions precipitate the onset of other social issues, and thus it is the Government’s aim to give each Guyanese, once eligible, adequate housing.

“Adequate housing speaks of adequate privacy, adequate space, physical accessibility, adequate security, homes that are durable, homes with adequate lighting and ventilation, homes with basic infrastructure…,” she explained.

She also revealed that the Communities Ministry is working on a new housing initiative: to not only give house lots, but to create functional communities that are well serviced with electricity, water, and proper roads.

Currently, she said, the Ministry is undertaking a project to construct modern duplex homes, given the unavailability of affordable house lots. For those who already have their homes, the minister said, the Government would continue to provide assistance for the improvement of those homes, so all can live comfortably.

APPROVED
Senior Community Development Officer Donna Best-Bascom reported that the CHPA Board had approved $15M for this programme, and 300 vouchers each worth $50,000 were to be distributed.

Eligibility to receive the vouchers was based on income, eligible housing area, status of payment for house lots, occupancy of house lot, type of works intended to be done on the home, and the applicant’s commitment to provide the labour needed to effect the improvement works.

The vouchers would allow recipients to purchase hardware items at chosen suppliers within their communities.

Due to poor responses, she said, and based on the eligibility criteria, only 259 vouchers were approved. These were distributed in all regions except Regions Five and Eight.

Linden, in Region 10, was the last area to receive vouchers. Sixty-five vouchers were distributed in Region 10, and 43 of those were returned, with 31 being deemed eligible, Best-Bascom reported.

One of the recipients, Charlene Burnette, told the Guyana Chronicle that she was grateful for the opportunity to receive the voucher, and she would utilise it to paint her home.

“I am very grateful, and I hope all who receive it will use it for the intended purpose. I want to say thank you to the Ministry of Communities for this venture,” she said.

Mavil Skeete revealed that she would be using her voucher to construct a lavatory facility in her home. “I want a flush toilet, so that is what I will be doing with my own,” she said.

The ceremony to effect handing over of the vouchers to the Linden recipients was attended by Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph, Deputy Mayor Waneka Arrindell, and CHPA senior officers.

The project was initiated in recognition of Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary (Golden Jubilee) celebration.