NEWLY-APPOINTED Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture with responsibility for Rural Affairs, Minister Valarie Yearwood, expressed confidence that the on-going housing solution project, which she started while at the Ministry of Communities will not be affected, following her reassignment.

In an exclusive interview, Yearwood said that many persons, especially those who would have applied and submitted their letters of pre-qualification, among other documents, expressed fear that the project will be affected. In quelling their fear, she said, “I have all confidence and I want to allay their fears, that all the projects, management was and is fully involved in it. My colleague minister who is coming on board, I know that she has vision, she is a woman of vision and these projects are for the people of Guyana as a whole, they are for low and middle income earners. I am confident that she will continue the path and improve on it,” she said.

She said all letters and documents submitted by applicants and are in her domain whether it was at the ‘Public Day’ at the Square of the Revolution’, the housing exhibitions or at any other forum, will be handed over to Minister Annette Ferguson and team. She is currently working on putting them in the various sections before officially commencing her new assignment.

While the duplex, single flat and elevated units amongst other houses were her vision that became a reality in several communities around Guyana, she said, that vision will be passed on and all Guyanese must be assured that Minister Ferguson ‘is going to continue on the path and even add her bit of it.’

Minister Yearwood, who was appointed her ministerial position in 2016, believes that her tenure was fruitful and brought smiles to the faces of hundreds of persons who were afforded housing units or house lots. One vision she however didn’t get to accomplish is the construction of houses in an established scheme for the differently abled. Yearwood said she was working towards a public-private partnership to see the establishment of a scheme with amenities and facilities suitable for these ones. It would have had rails, parapets, parking, signs, a supermarket and pharmacy and a green space among other facilities needed to make life comfortable for them. She will also share this with Minister Ferguson and affirmed that she can still play a role inviting the private sector to get involved in the project.

For the housing solution projects, houses are still to be built in Amelia’s Ward Linden, Perseverance EBD, Onderneeming Region Three and other parts of the country. Since the project started, 204 units were built at Perseverance, 15 at Amelia’s Ward, 20 units at Experiment West Coast Berbice, and 10 at Onderneeming. Housing exhibitions were held to advertise these modern housing units to the public and the positive responses were overwhelming.

The remaining 45 out of 60 houses are expected to commence soon in Amelia’s Ward. The flat two-bedroom houses cost $5.3 M, while the elevated ones cost $6.3 M. Funding for these projects were already allocated, Yearwood related.

In addition to the housing units, hundreds of house lots were allocated across Guyana. Minister Yearwood encouraged persons who have commenced payment on their lands to complete payment earliest and for those who are in possession of titled lands to commence building. “We have too many vacant lands that persons already processed and are titled and years have gone and they still haven’t constructed. The Government would have spent millions of dollars to put in infrastructure in these areas and to put services in place. These lands with high bushes have now become a hazard. There are security issues, persons are hiding out in them ………………………………….,” she said. She also spoke against the growing practice of squatting and encouraged persons to demonstrate patience with the Central Housing and Planning Authority and Minister Ferguson. She said this government met over 25, 000 applications in the systems and it was impossible to cater to all of those within one term.

Minister Yearwood said she held her first discussion with the Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder on Monday and is excited to commence this new and exciting territory. “I like challenges, it will focus on youths and women in rural Guyana and will cover all regions. Apart from oil, agriculture is the next big income earner, so I will be working with youths and women to develop programmes for them to get funding,” the Minister said. Her main focus will also be to initiate technology to lure the youths into agriculture as they may not be interested in the traditional methods used. She will be looking to assist them with marketing their products as the main objective is to create employment.

Minister Yearwood and Minister Ferguson are two of the four ministers who were ‘reshuffled’ by President Granger last week. Minister Dawn Hastings-Williams was appointed as Minister of State while Minister Simona Broomes was appointed as Minister responsible for Youth Affairs. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley has been appointed Minister of Public Service, replacing Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and MP Haimraj Rajkumar has been appointed Minister of Business, replacing Dominic Gaskin.