800 house lot allocations planned for Region Two
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal and team listen keenly to a resident during an open-day event at Charity, Region Two
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal and team listen keenly to a resident during an open-day event at Charity, Region Two

-double allocations, staffing being addressed, Minister Croal says

By: Indrawattie Natram

MINISTER of Housing and Water Collin Croal has announced that 800 house lots and a new building for staff dealing with housing-related matters will be available in Region Two by the end of March. These were among the disclosures that were made by the minister during an open-day event held at Charity on Wednesday.

During his address to the gathering, he said his visit was part of a continuous process by his ministry to conduct open days in various regions across the country to provide solutions to the many housing and water issues residents may have.

Some of the Charity residents who attended the Housing Ministry’s open-day activity

In Region Two, he said that there is a backlog of 2000 housing applications which the Ministry of Housing is working diligently to address. He said the Government of Guyana during its first term has committed to ensuring that 50,000 house lots are made available to eligible citizens.

The minister used the occasion to inform residents that the ministry has had discussions with officials of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, who have indicated that land for housing is available at Charity and Onderneeming. He, therefore, said he and his team will be re-visiting the region at the end of March to do the distribution.

“We will be back in the region to distribute 800 house lots, 400 for Charity and the remainder for Onderneeming…you ought to feel excited since many of you are waiting for long,” Minister Croal said. Meanwhile, he indicated that the ministry is currently restructuring the region’s Department of Housing. The renovation of a building at Anna Regina to deal with all housing matters are part of those plans.

According to Minister Croal, renovation works are underway and when complete, the building will house current and soon-to-be-hired staff. A Regional Housing Officer, an Assistant Regional Housing Officer, a Clerk, and an Enforcement Officer will be hired for the region, he disclosed, before emphasising that these are all part of the ministry’s plans to enhance the services offered in the region.

A resident engages a housing official during the open day

“When the building is finished renovating, then persons can go to the office and make their complaints or conduct follow-ups. I assure you, the necessary investigations will be done immediately and those who have double allocations, we are trying to relocate you whenever the distribution commences in March,” he added.

He also said that plans are in place to regularise the Charity squatting area and a team from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is currently working on this. The minister sought to encourage persons to utilise the ministry’s online services, adding that its website will soon be launched. Giving brief remarks, Region Two Chairperson Vilma De Silva said she was happy to have the housing team in the region.

She said the demand for housing is high, noting that she is pleased that house lots will be made available to residents in March. De Silva said that during various outreaches conducted by regional officials, many residents had raised countless concerns regarding housing.

All of those concerns, she assured residents, were forwarded to the Housing Ministry for immediate intervention. During Wednesday’s event, persons were given an opportunity to meet with the minister and his team of CH&PA officers.

Residents who spoke with this newspaper made positive comments about their engagement with the minister and housing officials. Sharika Persaud, a resident of Charity, said she was happy to reach the minister. She said that she felt at ease after he told her that an investigation will be launched into her double- allocation matter.

Another resident, Nigel Maugh, said he had applied for a house lot in the Charity area since 2016 and, to date, has not received a feedback . Maugh was grateful for the opportunity to meet with the minister and his team. Chairman of the Charity/ Ursara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Purash Kishore, was also present. The Housing Ministry conducted a similar activity in Regions Four and Six.

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.