AS Guyana continues to chart its course on a rapid development path, the government is eyeing Chinese expertise to drive large-scale affordable housing construction and urban planning.

These comments were made by Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips on Friday at the Marriott Hotel during the celebration of the 76th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Yang Yang and the Prime Minister delivered remarks at the event.

While speaking at the commemoration, the Prime Minister said: “Looking to the future, we see promising avenues for collaboration. One particularly attractive investment opportunity lies in Guyana’s housing sector. We can significantly benefit from China’s expertise in this sector by leveraging its extensive experience in large-scale, affordable housing construction and urban planning to comprehensively develop our infrastructure.”

Notably, past collaborations between the two countries in infrastructure and health, such as the construction of six regional hospitals and the new Demerara River Bridge, have demonstrated China’s ability to deliver complex projects efficiently.

The government has been persistent in its efforts to ensure every Guyanese citizen has the opportunity to become a homeowner. The government inherited a backlog of 75,509 housing applications when it took office in August 2020.

However, this figure did not deter the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration from carrying out its ambitious housing plan to deliver 50,000 house lots during its first term in office.

Through deliberate policies, the government exceeded its house-lot target in less than five years by delivering over 50,000 house lots to Guyanese from every income bracket, which stands in sharp contrast to just over 7,000 lots that were distributed by the previous administration during its entire tenure in office.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Housing, 47 per cent of the house lots that were allocated were given to women, while 90 per cent went to low-income families.

Having surpassed its target of delivering 50,000 house lots, the Ministry of Housing is now tasked with building 40,000 homes over the next five years, in keeping with the government’s 2025 Manifesto promise.

The government has also implemented a series of housing programmes to help Guyanese realise their dream of owning a home, such as low-interest rates at the local banks, and providing them with thousands of dollars in steel-and-cement vouchers.

Under the steel-and-cement subsidy programme, over 2,000 individuals across the country have received vouchers totalling over $500 million since 2022.

Homebuilders are provided with one sling of cement and the required steel to build the foundation of houses costing $6 million or less.

Those constructing homes valued between $6 million and $25 million are provided with two slings of cement and the necessary steel to complete the foundation.

Another initiative by the government is the Core Home Support initiative that falls under the $5.8 billion Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP), which targets vulnerable families and provides them with affordable core homes. The other components of this project are the housing subsidy and the construction of community grounds.

STRONG RELATIONS

The Prime Minister also extended congratulations to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government, and the People of China as he reflected on the long-standing diplomatic relations between the two nations, which took root in 1972.

Reflecting on the relationship between the two nations, he said: “The tangible impact of our current collaboration is evident in several sectors. As a consequence, we are working on projects in energy infrastructure, modernisation of agriculture, digital technologies, and in the promotion of sustainable development.”

Additionally, Ambassador Yang said that China remains committed to open development, and continues to be a major contributor to global economic growth.

She also noted that this year marks the 53rd Anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Guyana, noting: “Our traditional friendship continues to strengthen, and exchanges and cooperation across many fields are deepening and producing real results.”

The Ambassador went on to state: “China looks forward to working with Guyana to share the opportunities of Chinese modernisation, to build a closer community with a shared future, and to create an even brighter future for China–Guyana relations.”