Dear Editor
A PARTICULAR tactic, dishonest to the core, that often appears in the opinion column of especially one of the print media that is wholly politically aligned, and also adopted by most pro-PPP/C opposition letter writers, is to ascribe blame for a particular problem to both the government and the political opposition, when it should be rightly laid at the doorstep of the opposition party. This deception can also be found in its cartoons.
Especially the letter writers, who had never dared criticise their favourite party when it had been in government, but who now hypocritically decide to hurl criticisms at the government in a most convenient, but deceptive manner.

But they deceive themselves. Krishnanandat Arjun’s “The housing policies of successive governments have failed,” Stabroek News, November 03, 2019 is a perfect example of the category stated.

I do not know how old Mr Arjune is; for if he is of a mature age, he would recall the Burnham’s administration housing policy as part of the Feed, Clothes and House the nation initiative that housed thousands of Guyanese in establishing housing communities such as Tucber Housing Scheme in the New Amsterdam locale; the Melanie Damishana housing scheme on the East Coast of Demerara, and the North Ruimveldt, South Ruimveldt Park and South Ruimveldt Gardens; Festival City, Guyhoc Park and Guyhoc Gardens; and Roxanne Burnham Gardens, the Stevedore Housing Scheme and Rasville Housing Scheme in Georgetown. The Phoenix Park community on the West Bank of Demerara, must also be mentioned, as well as the Evans Phillip Park, contiguous to the Agricola community. All these housing areas, mostly, were brought into existence via the self- help and cooperative spirit, and resulted in tremendous relief to the working class, where the greatest demand for housing has always been, as is still the case.

There is no doubt that our housing situation may have been more acute, had it not been for the PNC government initiative in the 60s and 70s.

Enter the PPP/C and its housing programme, which methodology, for housing the nation, centred on the distribution of house lots, with allottees having to access mortgages for building. Mr Arjune should be informed that the PPP/C’s housing initiative is reported to have distributed a total of 55,000 house lots, but with only a 28 percent occupancy; meaning that more than one half of those lots have never been occupied.

This has been less than successful when compared to the former PNC government’s programme which accommodated as many citizens as resources allowed, thus allowing for the many housing communities as can be evidenced in many parts of Guyana.

Worse yet, is the fact that there were in excess of 25,000 Guyanese from especially Regions Three, Four and Five, who had been applicants for house lots since the 90s, until when there was a change in administration in 2015. And Mr Arjune should also be reminded that it had been because of a PPP/C anti-working class policy of selling vast acreages to friends and cronies for them to build and sell to the very rich, that resulted in the denial of building opportunities for those thousands of applicants mentioned.

Arjune has levelled the accusation of persons who have been awarded house lots and ‘’because they continue to live in their parents’ or ancestral homes, they have built houses which are being rented or have resold their house lots, making a profit in excess of 100 per cent …. In breach of their contracts.”

Editor, if it is Arjune’s intention to subtly attribute this grave breach of the CH&PA agreement with allottees, as one suspects he is seeking to do, to have had its genesis since 2015, then he is gravely dishonest and guilty of an extreme form of misinformation. He ought to be aware that this criminality commenced in the heyday of the PPP/C regime, and explains why the present government has been seeking to re-claim unoccupied lands, among other reasons.

Now, Arjune is professing to be concerned about the young people of this country, hence his reason for ‘writing his letter for their sake.’ Very, very admirable indeed, one must opine; except that it is convenient, for one must enquire whether this representer of our youth was of the same empathy and concern during the governance of the PPP/C. Or was he one of the thousands of party supporters, who would have been afraid to publicly criticise his government because of not wanting to break ranks? This kind of example is too common for one to think otherwise.

But let Mr Arjune be advised of the following: that the coalition government’s approach to housing has been because of what has been a badly conceived PPP/C housing policy for housing Guyanese.

First, it has taken to build duplex and condo types that make it easier for would be home owners; and there have been tremendous demand from the public. Thus, Arjune’s claim of this government selling a house lot ‘’for in excess for $5,000,000’’ is as highly erroneous, as it is dangerous and mischievous, as I think such a figure pertains to a finished structure.
Secondly, the coalition government, cognisant of the discriminatory PPP/C’s policy of considering only young adults with children for house lots, has since amended that imbalance by mandating that any person attaining the age of 18 can apply for a house lot, whether married or unmarried; young people have become eligible for housing, with many since accessing such a facility.

Thirdly, again, one notes the attempt by Arjune to quote the current national minimum wage, asking when’’ a young person working for $60000 or $70000 will be in a position to pay the government.’’ Did this citizen ever think of asking this question of his party’s policy-makers when the minimum wage then was one half of what it is now? Absolutely not!
Arjune, on enquiry, would be guided as to the prices for the different kinds of structures on offer. He would have also realised that the national minimum wage is set to undergo another elevation, one is certain, with the next BUDGET. And, given the imminent and oil-and-gas economy, the repayment ability of young public servants on whose behalf Arjune never spoke prior to 2015, will be much enhanced. All this, of course, taking place under the President David Granger administration.

Regards
Carla Mendonca