— $21.5 billion to develop housing areas on East Bank of Demerara

ONE thousand moderate and middle income houselots were allocated to persons who applied prior to 2015 for lots in Block Five Plantation Great Diamond and Block Nine Plantation Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Friday.

This was announced by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, at the sixth Dream Realised Housing drive held at the National Stadium. The event aimed to provide much-needed subsidised housing to citizens of Guyana.

Minister Croal said Region Four has the largest backlog of applicants for house lots, and it is well known that these applicants have been waiting for years for their allocation. This exercise will bring some further relief to them.
In fact, he said, Prospect, EBD is earmarked for 100 low income houses, of which 50 are already in progress and Little and Great Diamond, EBD, some 522 similar houses.

“Mobilisation of 140 houses for young professionals has begun in Prospect; 200 in Providence of which 100 are in progress and 500 in Little/Great Diamond will begin in the first quarter of 2022,” he said.

Even as this is happening, he said the ministry through its agencies is implementing a number of critical interventions to strengthen access to water, expand the road network, improve housing conditions by way of cash grants and promote employment through community-based projects.

“All that we have achieved so far for the housing and water sector is really down to the support from President Dr. Irfan Ali and Cabinet for the Ministry of Housing and Water, CH&PA and GWI. The staff of these agencies has gone above and beyond to ensure that targets are met; managers have led from the front; these achievements are not the result of any one person but an entire team and for that I wish to publicly thank them,” Minister Croal said.

He continued: “Let me also use this opportunity to inform you that payments for house lots are only done at the CH&PA, either at the office or at events like these where official receipts are given. Payments are not done through third parties at street corners or at anyone’s home. We are aware that unscrupulous persons may want to trick you out of your hard earned money, so be warned.”

The minister explained that the allocation of house lots and the simultaneous infrastructural development that are taking place will ensure that government’s promise of a fully developed housing scheme is kept.

JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
Underscoring that the demand for housing is just the tip of the iceberg, Minister Croal said other demands arise too; for better roads, bridges, drainage and access to water, among others.

“We have completed the access bridge at Mocha which will be commissioned soon, and as we speak close to $7 billion is being spent on first phase infrastructure for the upgrading of existing access roads, access bridges, unsurfaced roads, pipe networks, drains and culverts,” he noted.

Similar infrastructural works, he said, which are expected to come on stream later in the year in Plantation Golden Grove, and the Little and Great Diamond areas, should see close to $21.5 billion to develop housing areas on the East Bank of Demerara, inclusive of the new four lane concrete highway from Eccles to Great Diamond.

“In short, 2021 and 2022 should see us expend $28 billion,” he added.

NEW WELL
Noting that drilling of a new well began two days ago in Providence, he said another is expected to be drilled in Diamond before the end of the year and the water networks in several other areas are being upgraded.

When completed, he said some communities on the East Bank will be receiving potable water for the very first time and others, improved service delivery.

“We are upgrading water treatment plants in Eccles, Covent Garden and Grove to increase the treated water coverage and improve levels of services in and around the surrounding areas because we want you to be comfortable in your homes when you build them,” he explained.
In this regard, he advised applicants to get the best financial advice they can as they begin to plan for the construction of their houses since recently there have been an upsurge in fires.

Fires can lead to loss of life and assets, and as such, insurance is critical.
The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Housing and Water, has set itself the ambitious target of providing 50,000 house lots by 2025 and “everything is on track to achieve that,” Minister Croal noted.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, said the Great Diamond and Golden Gove areas will be the envy of all housing schemes since it is strategically located along the East Coast/East Bank Bypass Highway.

The Diamond/Grove area is located within the existing Sections A, B and C Great Diamond and Section A and C Golden Grove Housing Schemes, EBD.