BILLIONS of Guyanese dollars have been invested over the past two years to advance housing development across the country, with the overarching aim of ensuring that every citizen has access to adequate shelter and are not relegated to squatting or living in shabby conditions.

Unlike the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, which distributed just over 7,000 house lots within five years, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, since assuming office in August 2020, has already distributed 20,500 lots, and developed 44 new housing schemes, upgraded and installed infrastructure in 43 existing housing areas, regularised six areas and reduced squatter settlements from 19 to 13.

The government also completed construction of 827 low and moderate income and young professional houses, while a further 527 houses are currently under construction, in an investment costing more than $7 billion.

There is no shortage of support for the housing sector, and this is evident even at the highest level, where President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has practically made it a mantra that housing is a top priority for his administration.

According to President Ali, modifying infrastructure must be linked to human development and transformation as well as to the changing of people’s lives in the nation as part of the Vision 2030 transformation plan.

He insisted that every government action, including more employment prospects and better living conditions, is related to improving the quality of human existence. President Ali also stressed the importance of equitable development in relation to access to house lots, for which programmes are being rolled out consistently.

The political opposition’s hostility to these housing strategies, however, is truly remarkable, especially given that the former APNU+AFC government failed to deliver outcomes for Guyanese citizens in the areas of housing and economic fairness.

It is becoming more evident that the opposition is clutching at straws to remain relevant and hang on to its dwindling support base that has awoken to the reality that the PPP/C government has a firm plan for development.

One such example is APNU and AFC’s latest efforts to influence a few squatters at Cane View to resist efforts by the government to provide them with a better housing opportunity and adequate compensation.

To date, 28 families have relocated from the Cane View squatting area to nearby residential areas and have rebuilt new homes through government compensation.

Some seven individuals, however, remain non-compliant and continue to stall development plans by making spurious and unreasonable claims, and refusing to vacate the lands, which constitute government reserve.

Evidently influenced by the opposition, those persons are denying themselves the opportunity to dwell in a different environment where they would raise their children in proper conditions, have space on their land, and also own a valuable asset.

Not only are they depriving themselves of an opportunity for betterment, but they are also hindering the construction of a critical road link, the Eccles to Great Diamond Highway, that would ultimately benefit thousands of Guyanese.

The onus is now on the squatters to make a decision that would suit their best interest or continue to be influenced by the political opposition, which is continuously losing supporters and members, and failing to address pertinent matters under its own roof.