– $80M expended over two years on infrastructural projects

SOME 250 residents, were, on Wednesday, allocated residential house lots during another ‘Dream Realise’ Housing Drive to be held in Region Five by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA).

The distribution exercise which was held at the MARDS Complex, Burma Road, wasled by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, and a CHPA team. Also in attendance were Regional Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal; Regional Member of Parliament, Faizal Jafarally and MARADS General Manager, Bindrabhan Bisnauth.

Before the commencement of the allocation exercise, Regional Chairman Ramphal lauded the Ministry’s effort in delivering serviced lots to persons who have been waiting for years.

He noted that Wednesday’s activity had been long in the making as the commitment was made in 2020 but after much-planning, persons will start the first phase of their homeownership process.

Also, Minister Croal spoke of the efforts made to make the exercise a reality. He noted that while there was an initial plan for a scheme in the Burma area, these plans were abandoned post-2015, leaving residents in limbo.

The Minister further stated that after assuming office in 2020, this plan was revisited, and the scheme will soon be realised. He, however, called for the new allottees to be patient as the budgetary allocation for the necessary infrastructure work will be provided for in the 2023 National Budget. The new scheme is located east of the existing housing scheme and east of the main road to the Burma Housing development.

This scheme provides for residential, residential-commercial, industrial and other land use purposes. More importantly, the development caters for four residential income categories: low, moderate, middle and high-income lots.

Lands in the new development have also been earmarked for recreational and other social and infrastructural facilities.

According to Minister Croal, while these allocations are being done, the Ministry is simultaneously working on matching those with infrastructure development to ensure occupancy in those new schemes. On this note, a call was made for contractors tasked with executing these works to honour their obligations in a timely manner.

He also outlined other development plans for the region, including upgrading water infrastructure. Over the past two years, $80 million was expended on infrastructure projects in region five, benefitting some 1,615 residents.