APPROXIMATELY 400 families recently allocated house lots in Vriesland and Laurentia Catherina eagerly participated in a site visit and virtual tour of the developing housing schemes with Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues and technical staff of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Friday.

These areas are part of the expansive Wales Housing Development in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), which is already undergoing major infrastructural transformation. The tour provided allottees with a first-hand look at the ongoing works and updates on the progress being made towards the establishment of their future communities.

The Wales Housing Development is divided into four sections: Laurentia Catherina, Vriesland, Lorenzo, and Viva La Force, each with different blocks or phases. A total of $10.4 billion has been allocated for initial infrastructure works at Phases I and II of the areas. Allottees of the section the Minister visited received their lands in 2024 and 2025.

In April 2025, contracts were awarded for Vriesland and Laurentia Catherina, which have about 1,300 residential lots. The works were awarded to 14 contractors, with completion scheduled for November 2025.

Minister Rodrigues emphasised that this immediate rollout of infrastructure is a new and significant shift, noting that in the past, allottees had to wait until the following year’s national budget for infrastructure funding to be approved.

Minister Rodrigues assured allottees that once infrastructure works are finalised, they will be individually contacted to identify their lots. They can also look forward to signing their Agreements of Sale, and processing their Certificates of Title.

The housing schemes are being designed by the CH&PA with long-term sustainability in mind. They include designated zones for commercial activity, recreational areas, ‘green’ spaces, and essential public services such as schools, health centres, police outposts, and fire stations.

The minister encouraged families to start planning their home construction, and to take advantage of the ministry’s Steel and Cement Housing Subsidy Programme, which offers support for starting foundations. She also urged those seeking mortgage financing to engage early with financial institutions.

In keeping with the ministry’s commitment to transparency and public engagement, allottees had the opportunity to ask questions and receive direct responses from Minister Rodrigues during the tour.

Now that families know the locations of their lands, Minister Rodrigues also encouraged them to visit the areas at their convenience to stay updated on the progress of development. (Ministry of Housing and Water)