By Naomi Parris
OVER 1,800 citizens are expected to receive land allocations as the Ministry of Housing and Water, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), on Friday, opened its two-day ‘Dream Realised Housing Drive’ at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Scores of citizens braved the gloomy weather to assemble at the stadium to receive their house lots to commence the first stage of owning their own homes.
One woman, Deoranie Boodram, who was one of the first persons to receive her allocation during the drive, praised the initiative by the Government.
“I’m very thankful for it. I’m very excited. I wait since 2011, I put in for a house lot and am thankful for it, and it will benefit me a lot because I have been paying a house rent,” she said.
Meanwhile, for Andrea Mett, a midwife attached to the Ministry of Health, she believes that the housing drive pushed many one step closer to achieving the dream of owning their home. The woman disclosed that she had applied for a plot of land on several occasions but was unsuccessful in the past. She further explained that she had met one of the subject ministers at a similar drive and had explained her ordeal to the official and was advised to provide her documents.
Mett disclosed that she was on her way to work when she received the call to be present at the stadium to receive her house lot.
“I was in a bus when I got that call that I must report here this morning to come for my house lot and I’m here and thanks to God again I have received my house lot. What a relief this part of it is over,” the woman said.
Meanwhile, Devi Lim, an expecting mother, expressed her elation after a 10-year long wait to becoming a land owner.
“I applied around 10 years ago and we are extremely excited to be given an opportunity to have our own house lot this morning; we are really excited,” she said.
The woman noted that her family will soon be able to live a more comfortable life as they prepare to move to the next step of becoming a homeowner.
“Right now we are living in an extended home and so at least I know that kids are going to have their own spaces; you know we are really excited for that and to grow as a family and now to have our own home to do that as well.”
Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, told those who were gathered at the drive that home ownership is and will continue to be a priority for the Government over the next five years.
He added that, despite the challenges, the Government will fulfill its promise of providing the nation’s people with the opportunity of owning their own homes.
“Home ownership is a priority for this Government and the mandate given to our ministry by His Excellency, the President, we are committed to ensuring that this mandate is fulfilled quickly as possible,” Minister Croal said.
He added: “Despite the challenges to the economy that COVID-19 has brought, our Government has a mandate to meet its target of allocating 50,000 houselots over the next five years.”
Junior Housing and Water Minister, Susan Rodrigues said the new Government has been able to achieve much more within four months than the previous administration had in the last five years. “If we were looking for reasons as to why we cannot fulfill our mandate, this would have been the perfect time for us to find all of the excuses as to why we cannot deliver. We have COVID, we have the depressed economy that we have inherited, we have a backlog, and we have the Ministry of Housing with 70,000 applicants,” the minister said. “The time for talking is over, now is the time for action, now is the time for delivery and now is the time for us to make your dream a reality and to restore your confidence in Government,” the minister told the gathering at the Providence Stadium.
