— highlights efforts to streamline, improve services

Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn, has said the Government is “building a sustainable, strategic Guyana for decades to come”, pointing to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration’s investments to support not only home ownership but long-term economic growth.

Addressing the opening of the International Building Expo 2026, being held under the theme: ‘Guyana at 60 Building strong foundations for a sustainable future’, Minister Benn hailed the country’s rapid economic expansion, highlighting significant gains in construction, agriculture and other growth sectors.

“We are witnessing in real time the rapid expansion of our economy,” she said, adding that new roads, highways and model communities are reshaping the nation and improving living standards.

Benn paid tribute to the legacy of previous housing leadership, noting that the foundations laid by former ministers have enabled the current government’s ambitious programmes.

She stressed that housing is about more than land allocation,it is about creating aesthetic, safe and resilient communities that can withstand future challenges such as climate change.

The minister further underlined the Government’s commitment to integrated services and closer coordination across ministries, agencies and local authorities to ensure development is resilient, inclusive and sustainable.
“Our work programme at the Ministry of Housing is pivotal to supporting national development as a whole,” she said.

She praised the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s single‑window system, now in its second year, for streamlining building application reviews and bringing greater efficiency and transparency to the sector.

This year’s expo will feature a two‑day seminar which will examine sustainable urban planning, smart building technologies, construction waste management, flood risk and drainage during construction, and measures to transition the housing stock to greater energy efficiency.

The four‑day expo, Benn said, aims to showcase practical solutions and encourage knowledge sharing among policymakers, industry and the public.

This year’s expo also features expanded activities for patrons.