DRIVEN by the aspiration of owning their own homes in a better environment, young professionals in Guyana are celebrating a life-changing experience facilitated by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s Dream Realised Housing Drive initiative.

Speaking exclusively to the Guyana Chronicle, individuals expressed profound gratitude for the opportunity afforded them and their families.
Julian Success, a Ministry of Health (MoH) driver, highlighted the transformative impact of receiving his certificate of title. He shared his joy at no longer enduring the challenges of living with family members or paying monthly rental fees, expressing heartfelt appreciation for the government’s initiative.

According to Mr. Success, “There are no words to describe how happy I am today that my wife and I have finally received the certificate of title. It was a long wait, but a fruitful one, and we want to say thank you to the government for ensuring that Guyanese like me and others can get a plot of land that we can build on and call home.”

He continued: “Listen, we know the difficulties of not having our own; we know how hard it is for people like us who have families and want a better life in a better environment for our children, and we are proud to say that we have been given this opportunity by this dream realise programme.

We were given our house lot in La Bonne Intention, and we are going through the bank to get our home built. This is something that we were long awaiting, and we have it. Finally, I want to thank God, President Ali, the Ministry of Housing, and the government for making this possible for us and for our Guyanese brothers and sisters.”

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Rajendra Ramnarine, a technician in the offshore oil and gas industry and a recent resident of Strathspey on the East Coast of Demerara, expressed his emotions and gratitude. He mentioned that the idea of owning his own property and, in the near future, his own home, is overwhelming.

“I am very, very happy. I cannot put into words what this title means to me and my family. My wife and I had been waiting for a long time, but we never gave up; we knew that there would be a light at the end of our struggles. I am excited about the future and what it holds for me and my family, and I want to say thanks to the Ministry of Housing and the government for all the work that they are putting into helping their people.”

Ramnarine said: “Right now, we are living in Non Periel, and what I can tell you is that holding this piece of paper in my hand has motivated me to build, accomplish, and be a better person for myself and my family. This is more than owning your own home; this is about changing our lives for the better.”

Miss Nandranie Oodit, a teacher at Lusignan Primary School, ultimately explained that the certificate of title enables her and her spouse to begin their own family.
Miss Oodit told this publication that, “My husband and I are both happy about this accomplishment; we do not have a home of our own, and we were waiting on getting this title to get to building ours.

Not only that, but we will be planning to start our family too. We always wanted our own family, but it isn’t easy to do that when you are living in someone else’s house. Like the minister said, it is better to pay a mortgage than to pay rent and have nothing to show for it.”

She continued, “I would like to thank President Ali and his government for working towards giving us, young professionals, an opportunity to have our own homes. This is a new beginning for my husband and I, and it wouldn’t have been possible without them, so thank you all.”

In its Dream Realised Housing Drive for 2024, the Ministry of Housing and Water allocated 1,500 house lots for the Wales Development Housing Scheme to eligible residents of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). Additionally, last Wednesday, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, they distributed 1,000 house lots, certificates of title, and steel-and-cement vouchers.

Subject Minister Collin Croal explains that the objective is to offer housing solutions that are accessible to eligible residents in their respective communities. According to him, “we have to clear from a certain year to make sure that there is a level playing field for all. In addition…history is more than the path that is left by the past; it influences the present, and it can shape the future.”