– allottees cannot wait to occupy their Perseverance homes

EXCITEMENT filled the air as the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) gave more that 10 allottees a tour of their soon-to-be homes at the Perseverance Housing Scheme, East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

Over 100 houses and duplexes are under construction at the Perseverance Housing Scheme as the CH&PA’s Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond Programme makes waves in the housing sector; and on Thursday, more than 10 allottees were given an opportunity to inspect their soon-to-be homes.

Akeem Glasgow, a Guyana Police Force (GPF) officer, was among the lot.
“It is actually a nice feeling because living in a rent house is tough,” Glasgow said during an interview on the tour. As a young police officer, Glasgow expressed optimism about being one step closer to achieving his goal of becoming a home owner.
Kester Mars and his wife, from all indications were bubbling with excitement. In the past, the couple was offered a plot of land by the CH&PA at a cost of $2M; however, it was out of their budget. Mars said when the housing authority launched its Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond Programme, he and his wife saw it as an excellent opportunity to achieve their goal of owning their home.

“We were awarded a $2M house lot, so when we got this opportunity from the government we were pleased and now very, very excited…. I know everybody is very excited that this has materialised after a very long time,” Mars said.
Lawrence McRae, who toured the housing units on behalf of his son, said he is a proud father, knowing that soon, and at a very early age in his life, his son would be a home-owner.

“When children can inherit this kind of land and house, parents must be proud and happy for them, because not many of us have children that can acquire homes, some of us living in rented house,” McRae opined.
For his son, McRae said it is a blessing and expressed gratitude to the CH&PA for providing this opportunity for young professionals like his son, who in his early 20s.

BUBBLING INSIDE
Another allottee, who requested anonymity, said she was “bubbling inside”.
“I am so happy. I applied eight years for a house lot, going and coming, just hoping that one day that it will happen, and I am thankful that today it is happening,” she said.
Another applicant said: “If we could move in tomorrow, we would do it.” She and her husband had applied since 2014 for a house lot.

CH&PA Project Engineer Omar Narine, in giving an overview of the ongoing works at the Perseverance Housing Scheme, explained that from a total of 33 duplexes, more than 20 have been completed thus far. Currently, the CH&PA is working with the contractors to have those houses handed over to the authority before the keys are given to the allottees.
According to the project engineer, the remaining 13 duplexes are slated to be completed by the end of April.

“Simultaneously, we have started another seven duplexes. Most of the foundation for those seven are currently ongoing, and within another two months, those seven duplexes will be completed. So we will have over 40 duplexes for the year 2018,” Narine explained.
Also, 60 elevated units are under construction, and according to the project engineer, 50 of them are scheduled to be completed by the end of May.

“In addition to that, we have 20 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom [units] currently ongoing and about 10 of the three-bedroom units will be completed for April month-end, while the remaining 30 will be completed for May month-end,” he reported.
The only hindrance now is the weather, Narine said. However, he made it clear that the CH&PA will not push ahead with works during the rainy season and jeopardise the quality of the houses.

Based on the successes of the ongoing works, the project engineer said CH&PA is in the process of awarding contracts for the construction of 11 more housing units. If CH&PA’s board gives the green light, by August the units can be completed.
“So for Perseverance, we will have 40 duplexes, 60 elevated units, and we will have 31 three-bedroom units at Perseverance. In addition to that, we will have the 18 bungalow designs; those buildings are 85 per cent completed,” the project engineer further explained.

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
In the other areas, the housing authority is also making significant progress. According to Narine, at Onderneeming in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, 10 elevated housing units are being constructed, and based on a recent report from the evaluation team, five of them are ready to be handed over to CH&PA by the contractor. The remainders will be completed in another two weeks. Based on demand, the housing authority is also expected to commence construction for nine three-bedroom houses at Onderneeming.

Meanwhile, at Experiment Housing Scheme in Berbice, contractors there are doing “impressive work” as they construct 10 elevated, five two-bedroom, and five three-bedroom units, Narine said. CH&PA’s Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond Programme, particularly the construction aspect, is being overseen by six engineers, who conduct frequent visits to construction sites.

Using US$20M, the housing authority intends to develop infrastructure in several housing schemes, while investing another US$10M for the construction of 250 core houses.
The 250 core houses will be constructed in housing schemes that span Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara to Golden Grove on the East Bank of Demerara in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and La Partfaite Harmonie in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).