…Minister Ferguson calls for stern action

MINISTER with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson, was passionate in her stance that if contractors building houses for the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) in the Perseverance Housing Development cannot get their acts together, their contracts should be discontinued

Accompanied by CH&PA Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul, and Director of Projects, Omar Narine, the minister conducted a walk about in the Perseverance East Bank, Demerara housing scheme on Tuesday, where she met with a number of residents who voiced their concerns about certain aspects in the construction of their homes. “If the contractor is failing let us move to another contractor,” the minister suggested, noting that: “It is unfair to the beneficiaries to pay a mortgage and on top to pay rent too.

My words will have weight. Because at the end of the day it is the poor people that are suffering so I’m saying let’s get this matter addressed.”

One of the residents lead the Minister to her home, which was one of five being constructed by a single contractor. The homes were not completed, while several of the yards were overrun with bushes.

“What I am seeing here is that no work is moving. All these houses have bushes, nobody working on these properties,” Ferguson commented. The resident noted that works on the home had been moving apace up to her inspection of the home in December, 2018, when most of the work had already been completed with just a few minor details remaining.

However since then, she says, hardly any efforts have been made to complete the homes.
“It started back in January at snail’s pace and five months down the line still nothing isn’t finished. The lights for the outside are not in, the cupboards are not in, they haven’t finished ‘neating’ up certain parts of the house and the septic tank is not done,” she informed the minister and CH&PA officials.

The contractor was immediately contacted and promised to visit the minister to discuss the situation which is causing the delay in the completion of those homes. The minister was invited into the homes of several of the residents to view the flaws. She was also accompanied by an engineer from the CH&PA.

“The beneficiaries would’ve identified a number of defects on the houses. We got some issues with the flooring, issues with septic tank, issues with leaking roofs, issues with leaking in the toilet facilities. I have given commitment that once the defects are within the liability period we will have them addressed. The engineer has assured me that some works will commence before the end of this week,” the minister noted.

“At least within a month’s time we have to look at these issues. I have to hold my officers accountable because some persons are reluctant of occupying the homes unless these defects are addressed. Some of them have commenced paying mortgages and it’s very heartrending when you are paying mortgage and you cannot move in to start enjoying your home.”

Residents also highlighted their concerns over the unkempt state of the some of the yards of some of the unoccupied homes which are overgrown with weeds. The minister’s visit follows another visit to the housing development by the President, David Granger, and other ministers earlier this month. At that event the President noted his hope to see homelessness abolished under his government.

“As his Excellency President David Granger would’ve said over a month ago, he believes in ensuring that our people are properly housed. He wants to see the abolishment of homelessness in the country. That’s why parts of Perseverance and Prospect were identified to construct reasonable houses so that we can address these housing problems here in Guyana,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson noted that the government is still working towards solutions toward addressing the mass demand in Guyana. “I want to make it clear this government inherited this huge backlog so this is not an issue that was created by this government, but now we are in the driving seat so we must find ways and means to address the housing problems here in Guyana. So I am just asking my Guyanese brothers and sisters be patient and work with your government, stand up for your government. Let’s work together to address these major issues that your government is confronted with,” she said.

Ferguson said her Tuesday visit is in keeping with the government’s commitment to bring affordable housing to all. Perseverance and the Prospect Housing Scheme, also on the East Bank, were dedicated to providing housing to low and middle-income earners.