–President Ali announces; applicants will receive provisional allocations by September

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the housing backlog in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) will be eliminated and applicants will receive their provisional allocations by the end of September.

During a public meeting at La Grange Village, West Bank Demerara, on Saturday, the Head of State said, “Before the end of September every single person who applied up to the end of 2024 will receive a letter for provisional allocation in Region Three…We will clear the backlog in Region Three completely.”

The President received a resounding applause with chants of “a second term,” from residents. He noted that the lands the opposition gave away to their associates have been repossessed and will be handed to the ordinary Guyanese.

“The same land that they gave their friends 3,000/4,000 acres, we’re taking it back to give 3,000/4,000 families,” the President said.
In Region Three, he said that the government has spent almost $65 billion to develop the housing sector.

“Since we came into government, almost 21,000 acres of land was developed for housing, more than 90 per cent of which went directly to low-income, moderate-income, middle-income and high-income housing development for young professionals.”

With the projected allocation of three times the initial 10,000 house-lot allocation target this year alone, the government is well on its way to surpassing its overall target of 50,000 house lots before the end of 2025.

“In keeping with our Manifesto commitment, we have 10,000 house lots remaining [to be allocated], but we can do more, and we are going to do more. And we will triple this; we will do this by 300 per cent. As a result, we have been able to move beyond the 10,000. In our engagements with the various regions, we have been able to come up with our target…,” Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal previously noted.

According to the minister, this achievement is a result of strategic planning, infrastructural development and increased investments in the housing sector.

He said that house lots will be distributed in all 10 administrative regions. Providing a breakdown of allocations, Minister Croal stated that in 2020, 2,759 house lots were distributed, followed by 6,989 in 2021, 10,695 in 2022, and 9,056 in 2023. A record-breaking 10,797 house lots were distributed in 2024.

Since taking office, the government has prioritised home-ownership opportunities for citizens, particularly low-and middle-income families. Several initiatives have been undertaken to ensure an increase in the rate of housing development throughout the country.