CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Sherwyn Greaves, led a team, on Friday, from the agency on a one-day outreach to the Essequibo Coast, Region Two.

The first meeting is ongoing at the Charity Neighborhood Democratic Council Tarmac where members of the public with pending housing matters are meeting one-on-one with Greaves and his staff to resolve a variety of issues.

In his remarks at the first meeting, the CEO noted that the Ministry of Housing and Water, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority, is committed to resolving outstanding issues on the coast and to bring an end to a number of boundary issues.

“We understand the importance of having ownership documents and ending boundary issues. We have a commitment to this region while we resolve these issues we are working simultaneously to match infrastructure development with the allocation we have done in the region.”
Speaking to future plans for the region, the CEO spoke of the ministry’s plan for infrastructure work along the coast.

“Only a few days ago the ministry signed a $100 million contract for infrastructure works in Charity and Onderneeming and these works will include the clearing of lands, works on access roads and bridges,” he said.

Additionally, in the ministry’s 2022 work plan, another $1 billion will be expended for other infrastructure works in the region. These will include the installation of street lights, road works and the acquisition of lands.

At the Charity outreach, based on individual needs, a few on-the-spot land allocations were done.
Already for 2021, some 750 families have been allocated house lots.

This outreach will continue on Saturday with another meeting scheduled for State House, Anna Regina at 12:00 hours, followed by the last meeting which is scheduled for the Suddie Learning and Resource Center at 14:30 hours.

Meanwhile, Greaves has committed that the new Regional Housing Office for Region Two will be completed and fully functioning by the end of this year.

He also assured residents that while the Central Housing and Planning Authority will continue to engage residents of Essequibo in a move to address age old issues, plans are in place to straighten regional services.

As such, he announced during a meeting at State House earlier on Friday that the sum of $10M has been set aside for the rehabilitation and furnishing of a building at Anna Region, which will serve as the Regional Housing Office. With sufficient space and requisite staff, the CEO said more long-standing housing matters will be addressed in a timelier manner.

Further, the CEO concluded another visit with a meeting at the Suddie Learning and Resource Centre where himself and team engaged residents with pending housing matters. A number of on-the-spot allocations were also done.

One resident, Cathleen Baggot, a remigrant pensioner, said she was pleased to have met with the visiting team and the long wait for a plot of land is now over.

She explained that she was promised a land about five years ago after writing to the previous President; however, her joy was short lived as she was subsequently contacted and told that there was some dispute over the land she was promised.

At Friday’s event, Baggot said she has been assured that she will be given ownership document for a plot of land which she can finally call hers.