…Housing Minister dismantles Norton’s lies at rally

THE President Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led Government, through its progressive and substantive housing programme, has allocated more than 50,000 house lots between 2020 to 2025.
This figure exceeds the government’s 2020 campaign promise, marking a milestone in Guyana’s history that is unprecedented and unrivalled under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), whose main aim is to make homeownership accessible to all Guyanese.

In a bizarre tirade at Sunday’s rally of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton attempted to downplay the government’s achievements in the housing sector, even as the record shows the APNU has done little to nothing for the housing sector.

Speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal said that the opposition leader has “buried his head in the sand” and indicated “they [APNU] have no track record to speak about in housing”.

He further stated that the government has met its quota within its manifesto, surpassing the house lots promised.
The government has consistently allocated house lots since assuming office in 2020 and continues to do so.

More recently, on Friday, July 4, the Housing Ministry was in Linden, Region 10, a known opposition stronghold, and unveiled new housing developments (new phases) in Wismar and Amelia’s Ward.

These new developments are a direct response to applications that amounted to over 4,000 by the end of 2024.
“The target is to bring it to current, and make more land available for every single person who has applied for house lots in these regions,” Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues told residents present at Friday’s outreach.

With an ever-growing demand, the government continues to push its progressive housing agenda to communities across the country.
This includes proactive steps in land regularisation, which gives families security, backed by law, that were backlogged for years.

During the Ministry’s 2024 year-end press conference, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal said, “We have processed over 14,710 Certificates of Title; close to 2,500 Certificates of Title will be processed, which are at the Land Registry awaiting to be signed off.”

He also drew attention to the APNU’s tenure in office, which was fraught with negligence in the sector, revealing that only 7,730 titles were processed between 2015 and 2020.

ACHIEVABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP
The housing drive goes beyond land allocation and has incorporated assistance in the form of construction subsidies, where families can apply for assistance in building their homes. This was the case in Linden on Friday, where over 40 families received vouchers of $225,000 to assist in purchasing steel and cement in constructing their homes.

The government continues to roll out additional measures, including removing Value Added Tax (VAT) on building materials. Working along with the banks, the government was able to secure low-income mortgages that significantly impacted lower and middle-income households. Families are able to secure loans with interest rates from as low as 3 per cent.

The Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP) has constructed core homes that target vulnerable groups, and ensure all Guyanese have equal access to home ownership.

EQUITY IN HOMEOWNERSHIP
Statistics from the Ministry of Housing and Water showed that 47% of house lots allocated were given to women, while 90% went to low-income families. Minister Susan Rodrigues lauded this achievement and said, “The target is to bring it to current and make more land available for every single person who has applied for house lots in these regions.”

There has been a comprehensive rollout of house lot allocations in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9, reaching communities that were ignored by the APNU administration. Programmes like the Lethem Housing Support Programme and the Hinterland Housing Programme were established with the primary objective of ensuring Hinterland communities benefit equally and equitably.

The President Ali-led government continues to focus on meeting demands and providing affordable housing. The activities of the government are clear and supported by evidence that progression in the housing sector remains vibrant and historic, and impactful. (DPI)