– infrastructural upgrades for every housing scheme
– efforts to curb, regularise squatting will continue in 2019

SOME 350 to 400 new housing units will be constructed across the country next year, said Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood in defending the progress and developing of the housing sector which is under her watch.

Persons in the lower income bracket represent the largest group of persons who face the most challenges of acquiring decent, affordable housing, so the ministry intends on address the issue “frontally” by designing several low income housing units which will be sold from $4 million.

Amidst heckling from the opposition side of the National Assembly on the first day of the budget debates, Minister Patterson-Yearwood sought to defend her ministry’s position on the provision of affordable and quality housing.

Her presentation of the ministry’s intentions followed a comment from Opposition Member of Parliament, Neil Kumar, who argued that it is difficult for persons to acquire their own houses.

“In addition to building those housing units in 2019, we will work with the private sector to deliver additional units across the country,” said the minister, adding that house lots will remain available to persons who are desirous of constructing their own homes.

Government, she argued, continues to move forward with a plan to provide adequate housing by building complete housing units.

According to the minister, so far for this year, 202 complete housing units were built while the construction of an additional 52 will be done by the end of December.

She said 149 of those units were constructed in Perseverance, East Bank Demerara (EBD), 76 of which were two bedroom duplexes and 42 two bedroom elevated units.

In addition, 17 units were built at Experiment, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 10 two bedrooms in Onderneeming Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). Those, she said, were just the testing ground in because those communities never received housing units.

Her remarks drew loud heckling from the opposition side but the minister continued to defend her ministry, noting that some 20 of 60 housing units are under construction in Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

“The implementation of all those projects will bring relief and improvement to the lives of approximately 3,050 beneficiaries,” she said.

The minister remained confident that the government is on the right track, noting that the Providence Gardens, formerly known as the Re-migrant Scheme was repurposed to include locally based Guyanese with high affordability, particularly young professionals.
Since the reestablishment of the housing scheme, some 331 house lots were allocated and persons have been paying. The re-migrant scheme was also rezoned to accommodate light commercial activities to support residents.

Areas outside of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) also benefited in similar ways, said Minister Patterson-Yearwood, stating that many persons benefited from the sustainability housing for the hinterland which was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

She said among the beneficiaries were six families from Barima-Waini, 62 from Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo and another 40 units are under construction in Region Nine. Through hinterland programme, 19 families also benefited from roof replacement subsidy.
“Over the years hinterland housing was focused on Regions One and Nine but we are a caring government so we extended the project to Region Seven and further in 2019 to other hinterland regions to include villages like Kamarang and Jawalla,” said the minister.
Some $204 million will be spent to provide full or partial subsidy for the construction of houses for 51 families in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Members of the house were overwhelmed at one point, especially after the minister said out of the projected 1,000 allocations for 2018, some 742 were done in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10.

“When we did housing solutions 2017 and beyond, among the houses featured were the housing units…many said no one wanted to live in tenement arrangement but as the late Nelson Mandela once said it always seemed impossible until it is done…It is done and some people must see it to believe it but transformational leaders give people a vision to believe in,” she said, the minister added that 47 flat duplexes and 2 elevated units were constructed and fully allocated.

Also, 1,110 persons had their transports and certificates of title processed and 2009 applicants actually received their transport and titles.

Patterson-Yearwood posited that low income housing scheme throughout the country will also benefit from infrastructural upgrades. Some of those communities include Sophia, La Parfaite Harmony, Uitvlugt and Kwakwani.

According to the minister, new infrastructural development work was completed in Lust-En-Rust, Zeeburg, Zeelugt Phase Three, Sections B and D Non Pariel, La Penitence, Perseverance, Covent Garden, Farm Phase Two and Amelia’s Ward, while work is ongoing in Providence, Peters Hall and Little and Great Diamond.

“There is a lot going on, a lot has been done and a lot is yet to be done… a lot of things that will certainly seal a victory in 2020…there are funds to upgrade infrastructure in all schemes; construction in all regions,” said Minister Patterson-Yearwood.

For instance, she said Mabaruma has been earmarked for significant upgrade and Mahdia will also benefit from several upgrades such as a transportation terminal, concrete sidewalks and so forth.

In pursuit of the ‘green’ state agenda, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has reviewed design layout of schemes to include elements such as commercial spaces, green spaces, access to services, improved mobility such as bicycle and walkways.
The government also intends on retrofitting Sophia to accommodate those new features and elements.

“We will also partner with the private sector in the construction of ‘green’ low cost houses that will have features such as LED lights, plumbing features that will include less usage of water, renewable energy and so forth,” said Minister, Patterson-Yearwood.

NEW HOUSING SCHEMES
As part of the continued innovation, there will be four housing areas in Bartica, five in Lethem and more in greater Georgetown.

Meanwhile, efforts to curb the scourge of squatting continues apace and she said to this end 211 regularised squatter lots were allocated and 209 titles were issued but there has been slow responses by persons approved for allocation in making their payments.

“CH&PA will work with these persons; [we are] commissioning a study on squatting in collaboration with other relevant agencies…74 informal settlers from Lamaha reserves will be relocated to Cummings Lodge in the new year… an inventory will be completed by the end of the year,” said the minister.