–construction of initial 48 progressing smoothly

WORKS on the two-bedroom clay brick dwellings are moving at a fast pace under the Lethem (Region Nine) Housing Support Programme that was conceived by the President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
According to the Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, the objective of the President’s initiative is to provide affordable housing options for the residents of Lethem.

He also said that approximately 600 people stand to benefit from the structures upon their completion.
In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, the Housing Minister said: “We have signed up for the first 100 houses; we would have started work on the initial set of 48, and I am happy to say that we have signed the contracts for the additional 52.

“We have more people that are prequalified, but it is all happening in different stages because we also have to engage with contractors to build those. These are low-cost housing projects, and sometimes it is a challenge for us in terms of getting the contractors to do the job. I am also happy to say that the first 48 houses are progressing smoothly.”
Minister Croal also added that the government is working with the communities to ensure that they are benefiting from the jobs that the projects are creating.

According to Minister Croal, apart from the 100 houses that are already on the way, they are also collaborating with the people from the different communities in Region Nine to build an additional 100 houses through the hinterland housing programme.
The minister said, in keeping with the President’s objective, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will provide support for the construction, and the landowners will also be offered loans from commercial banks at an attractive interest rate.

He further said that the cost of each house is $3 million, but President Ali and his government has extended a grant of $1 million towards the project, and the remaining $2 million will be given through the banks to the people who are prequalified.

As part of the spinoff benefits of the Lethem Housing Programme and in an effort to create employment for the people of the region, Minister Croal said they are utilising materials from within the region; that is, they are buying the clay blocks and timber for the structures from communities such as St. Ignatius, Shulinab, Kwatamang, Shea, and Surama.
Additionally, Minister Croal said that the goal of this effort is to increase the accessibility and affordability of housing for all Guyanese across the country.

He also added that he is enticing more residents of Lethem to supply more of the necessary blocks in order to advance the scheme.
He said the ministry will continue to do much more to improve every citizen’s quality of life as additional resources become available.

Minister Croal said that the work that President Ali and the government are doing for the development of the country and the people motivates them, and he hopes that the people can be motivated too, knowing that they have a President who has the people’s interests at heart.

“We are part of a government that wants to see upliftment and betterment for our people, and that is what motivates us every day to get the work done,” the minister said.
The houses are being built at the New Culvert City Housing Scheme and the Tabatinga Housing Scheme. Each unit is estimated at 550 square feet and will comprise two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a restroom.