EXPANDING access to affordable housing and clearing the backlog of housing applications will be the top priorities of newly-appointed Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn.
She said this is the focus as the ministry moves towards digitisation and more efficient service delivery.

In an interview on the show ‘Beyond the Title,’ the minister outlined her plans for a modern ministry that is also “greener.”
She pleaded with citizens to have patience as they continue to work to meet the growing housing demands.
Benn said that her priority is ensuring that Guyana’s housing drive also integrates environmental safeguards while simultaneously targeting citizens’ immediate needs.
Minister Benn also spoke about her recent visits to some of the areas that have been targeted for housing and where work is ongoing, such as Silica City, which she described as a flagship project that “all Guyanese should be proud of.”

Plans for the second phase of Silica City, along the Soesdyke-Linden highway are now taking shape, with a specific focus on creating modern housing options.
This upcoming phase is being designed to include condominiums and townhouses, offering a distinct alternative to the homes currently under construction in the first phase.
Construction under phase one continues with 110 homes in various stages of completion. The current phase features four architectural designs, and allocation of the houses has already begun.
Soon, selected beneficiaries will be able to sign agreements of sale as part of the final processing stage.
Speaking on her intentions to contribute to the massive housing drive that is in moving full speed ahead, Minister Benn added: “It is my intention as well to see how we can integrate the aspects more of looking at how we have green infrastructure, how we’re mindful of protecting our biodiversity. How do we integrate these kinds of things?”
Giving an example, she said the young professionals housing scheme is not just about house lot allocations, but also about the integration of green spaces and cultural aspects into the natural environment.
Already, the minister has been active in distributing core homes and engaging with citizens and according to her, she hopes to continue “helping our country to transform and to thrive.”
Benn also assured residents that there is much more coming out of the Ministry of Housing to become more efficient.
“There’s quite a backlog, we acknowledge, and there’s a lot of work that is coming on stream to be able to clear that backlog. So, I appeal to the public, the diaspora, who have plans and applications for house lots in place that have been waiting a while just give us a bit more time, as we address that and clear the backlog. We are committed to seeing that cleared and to be able to deliver in a more efficient manner,” she said.