– pushes Housing Ministry over its goal of 10,000 lots in 2022
SIX hundred low-, moderate- and middle-income persons residing on the East Coast of Demerara, Region Four, received house lots at “Block D Pln.” De Endragt, as the Housing Ministry and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) closed the curtains on its ‘Dream Realised’ Housing Drive for 2022.
The housing drive was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Tuesday.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, stated that the final exercise pushed the Ministry over its 10,000 goal for the year and pushed overall allocations from August 2020 to December 2022 to more than 20,000.
That, the Minister said, was another example of the government delivering on its promise to reduce applications backlog and provide affordable housing options. Nearly 5,000 persons from the East Coast of Demerara benefitted from the total allocations.
Additionally, on the East Coast of Demerara, some $10 billion has been invested in first-phase infrastructure at La Bonne Intention (LBI), La Reconnaissance, Mon Repos, Annandale, Vigilance, Strathspey, Bladen Hall, Foulis and Cummings Lodge.
“In 2023, we are projected to spend at least another $10 billion to be invested in new areas such as Hope, Hope Lowlands, Hope Estate, Good Hope and inclusive of where you are going, De Endragt,” Minister Croal affirmed during his address.
He also underscored that in 2022 & 2023, some $13 billion would be invested in the Region Four water sector to provide a reliable supply of treated water for the benefit of over 300,000 citizens.
Meanwhile, the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, noted that home-ownership was one of the largest and most important investments that most individuals will make in their lives.
She said that the government’s housing programme was designed to make the journey easier through infrastructural development and programmes that cater to every income bracket.
“The way that we approach our housing programme is to enrich lives and to ensure that people increase their equity [and] ensuring that people increase their net worth through our housing programme,” stated Minister Rodrigues.
She also pointed out that government’s housing programme ensured that Guyanese benefitted regardless of their ethnicity, religious background and geographic location. Housing for youths and vulnerable populations and creating job opportunities with the many spin-offs of the programme were also of key focus.
Additionally, Chief Executive Officer of CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves, stated that the lands allocated at Pln. De Endragt will be outfitted with the necessary infrastructure for sustainable housing development.
“The area will house close to one thousand residential lots, it will also have areas put aside for worship, areas put aside for schools, commercial and industrial lots so businesses will be in the area,” the CEO outlined.
De Endragt is located less than nine miles away from the capital city and will also have basic utilities such as electricity and water, as part of the works.
CEO Greaves further stated that the scheme will have great transportation access, as it will be connected to an incoming road link from Aubrey Barker Road, Georgetown to Enmore/Foulis.
At the housing drive, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Water, Andre Ally, also addressed the allottees during the opening ceremony.
Also at the opening ceremony was the Chairman of the Mon Repos – La Reconnaissance NDC, Ayube Mohamed.
