–close to 700 land titles distributed so far

THE development of new housing schemes is closer to reality, as the Ministry of Housing and Water continues to engage the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) with the aim of formally acquiring lands for housing before the end of this year. Access to adequate housing is viewed as a basic human right and is considered to be an integral factor for the enjoyment of other economic, social and cultural rights. And, with Guyana’s economy poised to quadruple in the coming years, the government will be moving to ensure that its people, especially from the low and middle-income brackets, have access to adequate housing. Housing units will eventually be constructed across all administrative regions, and authorities are already working to identify and acquire lands for this purpose. The Ministry of Housing and Water is engaging the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLS&C) and GuySuCo on the acquisition of land.

The ministry’s aim is to acquire different portions of land owned by GuySuCo, said Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal. Areas being examined are Cummings Lodge, La Bonne Intention (LBI) on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), places in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Experiment in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), among others.
“There are different areas with different issues…so we are getting the legal aspect sorted…we expect to have these sorted before the year is done…we have a close working relationship with GuySuCo, so we do not have many issues,” said Minister Croal during a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday. In some cases, the only issue being ironed out is the distribution of land, since GuySuCo is reallocating some areas to support the resuscitation of the local sugar industry. The ministry, while finalising negotiations and discussions, has also been distributing titles for lands which have already been allocated to persons. They have so far distributed close to 700 land titles, empowering hundreds of families with the foundation to construct a house.

The distribution activities are part of the government’s drive to distribute more than 2,600 land titles countrywide, which is part of a wider goal to build 25,000 homes and provide 50,000 house lots within the next five years. Minister Croal has said that with approximately 70,000 applications for housing in the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA)’s system, the ministry is actively looking at ways of addressing the backlog, even as the number of applications continues to grow with new applicants daily. It was reported that the ministry is seeking US$250 million (approximately G$52.5 billion) in financing to support its housing- development plans for the next five years. “These funds will go directly to our housing drive…we are raising more money, but that specific amount is related to housing,” said Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, in a past report. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), while in opposition, had committed to distributing 50,000 house lots, a promise which they reiterated after being elected to office in August.

“We committed to 50,000 house lots, and roughly about 30 per cent (15,000) of that we would like to build homes… so we are looking for funding for the infrastructural works, land-clearing, construction of access bridges and roads to those areas… as well as public/private partnerships for the construction of homes for all income brackets,” said Minister Rodrigues. Some $292.8 million has already been budgeted for the preparation of land for residential lots. This allocation will be used for the construction of roads and bridges to access lands for preparatory works in Recht-Door-Zee, Block AI Annandale, Cummings Lodge, Industry, Vigilance, Lethem and Kwakwani, among many other locations. Work will also be completed on the upgrading of 4km of main access roads and bridges to industrial and commercial areas in Prospect, Perseverance, Little and Great Diamond; $150 million has been allocated for these projects. The upgrading of the main access road and bridges for private developers in Prospect and Perseverance will allow for access and commencement of work on approximately 500 house lots, while the upgrading of the main access road for industrial and commercial purposes in Little and Great Diamond will allow for access and commencement of work on a further 300 house lots.