By Bebi Shafeah Oosman

TWO new truck parking facilities are currently under construction in Region Six, following a directive issued by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to address concerns over the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles in residential communities and the associated environmental issues.
The two locations are East Canje Berbice and Number 75 Village, Corentyne.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal along with Member of Parliament, Zamal Hussain visited all of the ongoing housing projects and parking facilities within Region Six on Wednesday during which Croal said that the truck parking project follows complaints raised by residents during the last Cabinet outreach, particularly about trucks being parked in communities, resulting in oil leaks and improper disposal of waste oil into drainage systems.
The Minister explained that, following the consultations and community visits, President Ali issued a policy directive for suitable lands to be identified for the establishment of designated truck parking facilities.
“A number of environmental issues coming out of the consultations and community visits, and as a result, a directive was issued for us to be able to identify lands on the coastland for the establishment of what is called truck parking,” Minister Croal explained.
The facilities are intended to provide designated parking areas for heavy-duty vehicles and will also be utilized for repairing and servicing machineries.
According to the minister, the facilities are being built in two phases with the first phase focused on raising the land and transforming it to crusher run, “the second phase will see fencing and lighting.”
In East Canje Berbice, 30 acres aback of East Canefield Settlement, which was once cane fields, have been transformed completely. That project is about 65% completed, and Croal noted while the contractual agreement runs to the end of January, they are working to possibly finish by the end of this year.
Furthermore, Croal noted that a fee will be attached to the facilities for maintenance and other purpose adding that a management team will also be allocated to the location.
Member of Parliament, Zamal Hussain at the Canje location yesterday said that it was a proud moment for residents of Region Six. Commending Minister Croal and team, Hussain stated that “this initiative will do wonders for the region; this is a transformation of the lawlessness that is happening in the community because in the community we see numerous amount of complaints with parking of vehicle and machinery and we see the occupation of road shoulders by persons who have more than one trucks, etc, and this particular facility will ease all those complaints… I want to say that this is a moment we have to be proud of.”
Furthermore, Hussain pointed out that the establishment of the truck parking facilities will complement President Irfaan Ali’s Model Village Initiative, as the removal of heavy-duty machinery and vehicles from road shoulders will contribute to cleaner, safer and more orderly communities.
He noted that the facilities will also support efforts to improve the overall appearance of villages while reducing obstructions along public roadways.
Meanwhile, three new housing schemes are also currently being developed along the East Bank Berbice corridor which are expected to make approximately 5,000 house lots available to residents of Region Six, significantly expanding access to homeownership in the region with two new truck parking facilities also being constructed within the region.
The housing schemes are being developed in Providence, Overwinning and Glasgow to the tune of $14B, as such Croal told the Guyana Chronicle that, “We have started the allocation and what is the intention here this morning is to engage those that are behind time to reinforce what needs to be done, if some cases liquidated damages, and then also with the surveyors to be able to assess, to start putting the palls.”
Earlier this year, President Irfaan Ali had told residents of Region Six that every application will receive an offer by the end of this year, and the Minister yesterday assured that this process is ongoing with a backlog of 7,000 in the region currently.
“So, our commitment is before 2027, all pending applicants in Region Six will be offered, we have over 7,000 plus pending applicants in our system… So, before 2027 all of those persons will be able to be offered, however before this 2026 is finished we will have a massive allocation exercise taking place that will start clearing the first set of batch for those persons.”
Meanwhile, over in Palmyra the first 100 houses have been completed with the process of handing over soon commencing.