CITIZENS across Guyana can expect significant improvements in the quality of tap water being supplied now that the government has committed to pump some $3.2B into the water sector for 2018.

An additional US$30M has been earmarked for the housing sector as the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government makes good on its promises to build sustainable communities.

In presenting his $267.1B Budget to the National Assembly under the theme, “The Journey to the Good Life Continues,” Finance Minister Winston Jordan said the provision of safe and potable drinking water is a fundamental human right that must be enjoyed by all Guyanese. It was on this note, that he disclosed that $3.2 billion has been budgeted to improve the quality of water being supplied across the country. The allocated sum is 9.7% above the projected amount for 2017.

“Our efforts in this area continue to be guided by the Guyana Water Inc.‘s strategic plan, which aims to achieve universal access to safe and affordable drinking water,” the Finance Minister told the 65-Member National Assembly during its 73rd Sitting on Monday.
It was explained that in 2018, the government, through the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), will continue to expand its water-supply capacity. In this regard, the construction of three new water treatment plants is expected to commence soon.

These water treatment plants will meet the demands of residents residing in Goed Bananen Land-Sheet Anchor, in Region No. Six; Diamond-Herstelling, in Region No. Four; and Cornelia Ida-De Kinderen, in Region No.Three. “Over 20,000 households are anticipated to benefit from these water treatment plants and thousands more will benefit from the anticipated completion of eight new wells across the country, in 2018,” Minister Jordan informed the House.

To improve the efficiency of the existing water-distribution systems, GWI, using the funds allocated, will upgrade a number of transmission lines across the country, including those in 11 villages across the hinterland, such as Port Kaituma, Lethem, and Mabaruma. The water-distribution systems at Moblissa, Three Friends, and the Shelter Belt will also be expanded.

“We will install an additional 10,000 meters by the end of 2018 compared to the over 10,000 already projected for 2017,” Minister Jordan added.
It was noted too that the institutional strengthening of GWI will continue to target the reduction of commercial and technical losses and improve the billing system.

In the area of sanitation, the Finance Minister told members on both sides of the House that in keeping with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the government will continue to manage all waste in an environmentally sound manner, in an effort to minimise the adverse impacts on public health and the environment.

In 2017, Government expended $338M on improving solid waste management – a move which included rehabilitation of the access road to the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill; the commencement of the inventory and survey of all landfill sites; the completion of the construction of Kara Kara Landfill access road; the commencement of the rehabilitation of existing landfill sites at Lusignan, Bartica, and Linden; and the undertaking of final consultations on the National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy.
In 2018, the APNU+AFC will be spending some $178.6M to further improve the country’s capacity to handle solid waste.

“We will aim to complete designs for new sanitary landfills at Bartica, Linden, and Mahdia, as well as rehabilitate and upgrade access roads at the Lusignan, Belle Vue, and Rosehall sites. We will also commence preparation of Cell 2 of the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill. As part of the solid waste programme, we will continue to provide training in solid waste management practices,” Minister Jordan said with a sense of optimism. Additionally, government will be boosting its Public Relations Campaign to educate the populace on effective waste management.

“Government recognises that we must not only manage the handling of waste, but, also, modify our consumption patterns as a nation, if we are to live in a truly greener and more sustainable Guyana,” Minister Jordan contended.

Housing
The country’s housing sector will also continue to evolve but the Finance Minister said the challenges facing the sector cannot and should not be ignored. “With the departure from the old housing model, government’s housing programme going forward must consider the challenges that currently beset this sector. These include cost of financing, inadequate public infrastructure and services, absence of strategic planning, and an inadequate and inefficient application process, all of which combine to contribute to low occupancy of housing schemes,” he told the House.

“There is need to find an optimal mix of providing site and services and completed houses solutions, while giving due regard to accounting for affordability, efficiency, and innovative financing, in order to address the needs of a wider cross-section of the population,” Minister Jordan added.
Nonetheless, government has placed affordable housing at the forefront of its social policy and in an effort to address the issue of housing needs for low-income families, it has concluded negotiations for a US$30M loan to improve occupancy of existing housing schemes.

A systemic review of the government’s housing programme has revealed that there is a backlog of over 50,000 applicants. Cognisant of the challenges facing the housing authority, a joint technical working group has been established and tasked with examining the challenges with the aim of finding solutions to fulfil the government’s vision.

“A position paper that addresses the challenges facing the housing programme has been completed and is currently drawing the attention of Cabinet. Solutions that target low and middle-income households, including young professionals, are being considered, such as: (i) public-private partnerships towards community solutions; (ii) access to more affordable financing including graduated interest rates; and (iii) shared ownership/phased equity,” Minister Jordan informed the House.

In the meantime, the CH&PA has formulated and made available a number of housing solutions such as single houses, duplexes, and condominiums to the public.
“In 2017, CH&PA has piloted 6 duplexes, 2 elevated single-family houses; issued 2,116 land titles; regularised 322 squatters; and allotted 381 house lots.

The pilot units will be evaluated and the models refined accordingly,” Minister Jordan reported. In addition to the US$30M, 164 full house replacement subsidies and 38 roof-replacement subsidies are anticipated to be disbursed under the Hinterland Sustainable Housing Programme, which has been allocated $240M in 2018.