–construction commences on 120 low-income units in Region Three

THE government continues to advance its housing programme in Region Three, where construction has commenced on 120 low-income units.
Providing access to adequate housing has been a top priority for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government since its election to office in 2020.

With the aim of delivering 50,000 housing solutions in five years, the government has been moving across the country to identify and allocate areas for housing developments, whether houses or lots.
In Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), some 2,000 families will benefit from affordable homes as the government accelerates its turn-key housing project to meet the housing demand there.
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal has said that the construction of these homes will add to the 500 low-income units to the region.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Housing and Water and Republic Bank Limited (RBL) in July for the financing of the two-bedroom units which will cost $5.5 million each.
Minister Croal had said that the first 125 homes under that project will be constructed at Leonora, with work projected to commence shortly.

“There will be a special mortgage lending rate for that programme,” Minister Croal disclosed, adding that the investments will provide significant growth and development for the region and its people.
He said: “If you have 125 houses to be constructed, the minimum one can expect is that you will have at least 625 persons employed on the construction of those houses. And, over the period, you will see different skillsets and opportunities for those of you in Region Three; whether labourers, electricians, plumbers, or carpenters, all will be required.”

The development of land in the region will help to address the backlog of 14,000 applications for house-lots for Region Three, currently sitting in the database of the Housing Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) awaiting allocation.

“In this NDC [Stewartville/Cornelia Ida] alone, we are talking about the development in this area here alone, about 1,500 acres of land; 1,500 acres of land would give us here and there, 7,000 new house lots,” President, Dr. Irfaan Ali had said during a prior engagement.

The infrastructure costs, on average, to develop 1,500 acres of land is close to $10 billion, the Head of State said.
“…And this is not 10 years from now. These are projects that are in the immediate pipeline; projects that have already started,” Dr. Ali said.

He added: “In the medium-term, if you have an occupancy of 50 per cent in five to seven years, then, convert 3,500 [50 per cent of 7,000] by an average of $7 million, and you will see the volume of transaction[s] that we’re talking about just in this locality.”

Additionally, under the government’s turn-key initiative, some 200 housing units are expected to be constructed in Anna Catherina and Meten-Meer-Zorg, targetting low and moderate-income earners.
Further, under the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme, 25 core homes have been constructed for vulnerable families in Lust-en-Rust, Onderneeming, La Parfaite Harmonie, Recht-Door-Zee and Westminster, all on the West Bank Demerara. Those new developments, President Ali said, will be complemented by a $52 billion (US$260 million) new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

In May, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal had announced that as the ministry’s 2022 allocation drive continues, some 15,000 applicants will be served.
“Our President has given a charge to aim for 25,000 homes over the five-year period, and so, while we will allocate 50,000 house lots, simultaneously we will be constructing houses,” Minister Croal said.