RESIDENTS of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are expressing their gratitude to the government for its commitment to improving Guyana’s housing landscape, as they were allocated house lots in the Onderneeming New Housing Scheme.
The long-awaited allocations have brought relief and joy to many families, some of whom have been waiting for years.
Ms. Anika Morgan, one of the recipients, expressed her deep gratitude for finally receiving her house lot after applying in 2008.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Morgan remained determined to secure her lot. “This is a long-awaited dream,” she said. “I am really grateful to God for having this opportunity, and that the government would have done this for persons in the Essequibo region. Despite COVID, we were out on these different outreaches to make sure that we got our place and made our payments, so I am grateful.”
During the allocation exercise, Ms. Diana Singh shared her excitement and happiness upon receiving the call from the Ministry of Housing. “I am overjoyed and excited. I was waiting for so long for this opportunity, and finally I got the call, and I am here today,” Ms.
Singh said. She highlighted the significant impact this would have on her family, particularly her two sons, as they transition from costly renting to owning their own home.
Ms. Kimone Stephens also expressed her joy at being one of the allottees. She emphasised how this new home would provide her children with more freedom and comfort. “Since I got the call, I can’t stop smiling… my children will have more freedom to run and play
without anyone shouting at them. They will have a little more comfort space to do as they please. This is a good initiative because people need land; we all need to have a place where we can call home and a roof over our heads.”
Mr. Chavez Deopaul shared his relief at receiving his own land after living with his mother despite having a family of his own. As a father of two, he is “very happy” to now have a place to call his own.
In a recent outreach to Cinderella County, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, allocated 65 lots in the Onderneeming Housing Scheme to residents. Addressing the gathering of allottees, Minister Croal assured that the government is working to expedite the occupancy process in Onderneeming and is planning an extension after encountering challenges with a block in the area.
Minister Croal also highlighted ongoing developments in Region Two, including new schemes in Charity and Onderneeming Phase Four.
“In Region Two, we are developing two schemes: Charity and Onderneeming Phase Four. We are awaiting a technical report for Charity to make some policy decisions,” he said. To acquire more land, the ministry is collaborating with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, given that most of the land in the region is privately owned.
Furthermore, the Housing Ministry is focusing on resolving ownership issues for 325 lots in areas such as Sparta, Henrietta, La Belle Alliance, Lima, Coffee Grove, and Windsor Castle, to further improve housing availability in the region.
