AN enduring observation during all of the ‘Bringing the Government to the People’ exercises, in terms of offering solutions to the problems presented by citizens in the various regions visited so far, has been the overwhelming demand for housing.

The fact that at each engagement there were significantly long lines at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA)’s booth is an indictment of the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s housing programme that was ‘intended’ to house all Guyanese. Last Sunday’s Cabinet engagement with the citizens of Region Three (Essequibo Islands–West Demerara) at the Leonora Sports Complex reportedly had 700 persons seeking housing and other related matters such as titles. Because of the significance of the specific enquiry and demand, the CH&PA has publicly announced that it would again be meeting with Region Three residents. At the time of writing, well over 1000 persons are reported to have accessed this second visit, immediately after the first.

Despite the PPP boasting about the 55,000 house lots tehy would have distributed to citizens, and the billions reportedly spent in the so-called provision of vital support infrastructure, there had only been less than 30 per cent occupancy of those lots, in terms of allottees being able to build actual homes through mortgages, or from their own financial resources. Too many housing schemes have been established without basic infrastructure, such as roads, water, and light. The Diamond Housing Scheme that was dubbed the centerpiece of this pre–May, 2015 housing programme is an example of a newly-created housing community in which there were large water- filled craters for roads, and no night illumination in most of the settlement. La Parfaite Harmonie, on the West Bank Demerara, is another example. But these grave deficiencies that would have inconvenienced many residents are being gradually remedied. It is important to note that substantial house lot payments would have catered for such social amenities as roads, lights, and proper drainage.

But there is another aspect of the high demand for housing, which has to do with the unanswered applications of over 25,000 persons dating back to the 1990s. Based on the evidence at our disposal, these persons could not have had house lots because of the PPP/C’s housing programme that sold large tracts of land to private developers/friends of the government/cronies, who built houses for sale to the very rich. They were not, by any means, catering for the working-class or small buyer whose means were below several economic fathoms. One can, therefore, understand why private housing developers and their plans for building and selling homes to citizens had not been a feature during the People’s National Congress administration that saw so many housing schemes come into existence, much to the benefit and satisfaction of thousands, who, for decades, have been proud homeowners.
Any sensible State housing programme will ensure that those who are less capable of owning be given every opportunity, in terms of assistance, to acquire not only lots but being able to purchase those at reasonable costs for construction. Thus, the large number of empty lots, and the thousands of applicants who have been seeking assistance on these Public Days for answers to their many-years-ago-made applications, emphasise the flaws in the former administration’s programme.
It is instructive to note that present in these queues have been scores of young Guyanese now being afforded the opportunity of home-ownership as a result of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition’s decision to lower the age requirement for home-ownership.

This is indeed modern and visionary, since it is intended to change the traditional perception and understanding that young people, or young couples especially, have to remain with either of their original families until being able to be independent at a later stage in their life’s journey before being capable of home-ownership. One only had to observe the welcomed enthusiasm of this very important component of the nation’s demographics at the many interactions with the CH&PA as they eagerly gathered information that will aid in their quest for perhaps life’s most important acquisition of a roof over one’s head.

Although there is an acknowledgement that there are no more available lands for home building in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the government is continuing its search for wherever this vital space is located for providing citizens with the opportunity to acquire, and thus be able to build their dream homes. Another 700 lots have been distributed at Vergenoegen, with the necessary infrastructural support being provided by the government.

If we are to be guided by remarks made by Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, during his recent press conference, it is obvious that it is the government’s wish to make house-lots available to citizens at the lowest cost. Certainly, this is about giving Guyanese ‘the Good Life’.