3,600 house lots allocated for 2020
Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues
Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues

–surpasses target by 600

By Richard Bhainie

SINCE its assumption of office on August 2, 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has distributed some 3,600 house lots to applicants across Guyana; more than half of the amount that was distributed by the A Partnership for National Unity Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition during their five-year tenure. This was disclosed by Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues during an interview with a section of the media, while outlining the success of the “Dreams Realised Land Allocation Initiative”.

During a press conference in October 2020, former Minister within the then Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson had explained that between June 2015 to May 2020, the APNU+AFC government had distributed some 7,089 house lots; more than half of which was distributed by the PPP/C government in their first four months in office. Minister Rodrigues explained that when the PPP/C government took office in August 2020, there was a backlog of some 70,000 active applicants awaiting the allocation of a house lot.

In their 2020 Elections Manifesto, the PPP/C committed to distributing some 50,000 house lots within their first five years in office, disaggregating this into 10,000 house lots per year. “I am happy to report we achieved 3,600 allocations; we had set a target actually of 3,000 for our first four months for 2020, so that we can do 7,000 next year, so that we can meet our 10,000 target. So, I am very pleased to report that we have surpassed that target by allocating 3,600 for 2020,” the minister said. She explained that the allocations were made in new housing schemes, with there being between 22 to 25 new housing schemes across the regions.

Rodrigues explained that the government is committed to keeping their Manifesto promise, with the ministry categorising applicants, and giving priority to persons who have been waiting for a long time, in an attempt to clear the backlog. “In Region Four, we were able to get rid of all of the backlog from the 1990s… In Region Three, it was up to 2010, I believe,” Minister Rodrigues said. She credits the staff at the ministry for their role in making the initiative a success, highlighting that the ministry could not have achieved the feat without the staff’s commitment.

ENCOURAGING HOMEOWNERSHIP

Rodrigues explained that in their drive to encourage homeownership and 100 per cent occupancy rate of new housing schemes, the government will be implementing a gamut of plans. “We have a responsibility to ensure that housing schemes are equipped with the necessary infrastructure… But not only infrastructure; we want to ensure that communities are sustainable, meaning that we want to ensure that there are ‘green’ spaces; there’s playgrounds, recreational activities, commercial activities, industrial activities,” the minister said.

She added: “All of these help to make a community wholesome; all of these help to make communities sustainable. And so, there’s a lot of planning that goes into these housing schemes.” The government has also taken steps to promote and facilitate homeownership. “We have met with several of the banks already; we have met with the bankers association to try to negotiate better interest rates, and a mechanism in which we can send a list to the bank or banks for those who have received their allocation, and then have the banks pre-qualify them,” the minister said.

HINTERLAND HOUSING PROGRAMME

During the interview, Minister Rodrigues explained that the Hinterland Housing Programme will be re-introduced in 2021, with the aim of building 500 homes in the hinterland regions. “We are currently in negotiation with an international bank to seek and to secure funding for this programme; we’re aiming to build about 500 hinterland houses across Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine,” she said, adding: “We are even going to include certain other communities that are not considered hinterland communities, but are Amerindian communities nonetheless, such as Moraikobai, and therefore they are entitled to such benefits. “This will help to stimulate the economies within these communities, and help to create jobs, as the materials and labour will come from within the villages.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.