Housing Ministry surpasses target in Region Six outreach

—Almost 500 Agreements of Sale signed as CH&PA fast-tracks titles and advances $30B housing drive in Berbice

FOLLOWING the passage of Budget 2026, the Ministry of Housing has intensified its regional outreach in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), delivering services and advancing home ownership processing for hundreds of residents over the weekend.

The ministry surpassed its initial target in Region Six, with almost 500 persons signing Agreements of Sale

Led by Minister of Housing, Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry Vanessa Benn and supported by a full team from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), the two-day outreach and documentation exercise was held at the Classic International Hotel. The initiative formed part of the ministry’s drive to accelerate service delivery and improve efficiency across the housing sector.
The exercise, which began on Friday and continued into Saturday, exceeded its target of 450 signings, with nearly 500 persons signing their Agreements of Sale to advance the processing of their Certificates of Title. In addition to document signings, the outreach facilitated direct engagement with residents, allowing officials to address concerns, provide updates, and resolve a range of housing-related matters.
Housing development in Region Six has seen major investment in recent years, with approximately $30 billion injected into the region, benefitting some 28,000 Guyanese. Chief Executive Officer of CH&PA, Dr Martin Pertab, disclosed that between 2020 and 2025, more than 4,000 house lots were allocated and over 440 titles were distributed across the region.
The numbers continue to rise. On Friday alone, 396 persons signed Agreements of Sale for Number 75 Village, Phase Two, with additional signings on Saturday morning pushing the total well beyond the ministry’s initial target.
Minister Croal noted that the early momentum reflected the demand for faster processing and the ministry’s renewed focus on delivery.
The outreach, which also saw financial institutions present on the ground, represents the next phase of the ministry’s housing drive in the region. Looking ahead, CH&PA plans to invest approximately $159 billion nationally this year to advance its housing programme, with continued development in areas such as the rear of Number 77 Village, Springlands and Hogstye.
Minister Croal assured residents that those signing during the outreach would see swift progress in completing the home ownership process. “I want to commit that in three months, we will be coming back to issue your certificate of titles for both within the 75, Phase 2, and the 76, Blocks 3 and 4. That is my commitment to you,” he stated.

By the end of 2026, the ministry anticipates constructing more than 8,000 houses and allocating over 15,000 house lots as part of its wider housing targets.
However, Croal acknowledged that achieving these goals requires internal reform. Speaking candidly about existing challenges, he noted that persons seeking titles have historically faced waiting periods of up to six months. The ministry now aims to reduce that timeline to three months by strengthening systems at both the ministerial and registry levels.

Moving forward the ministry aims to develop systems, decrease waiting time in land acquisition, and improve communication by strengthening systems at both the ministerial and registry levels

“I want to say now, because we are also putting our checks and balances in-house at the ministry, that once you sign, there should be no glitch after that. And the processing of the title must be done within three months. Some of the glitches are not only at the registry level, but also in-house. So, some heads will have to roll in due time, because this is something that we have taken dearly. We are committed as a government to ensure that as quickly as possible, you have home ownership,” the Minister said.
Home ownership, the minister stressed, goes beyond receiving land documents. He underscored the importance of developing sustainable communities alongside individual ownership.
“Home ownership ends when you have ownership as well as your communities developed. That is why we are also enhancing your community to ensure that you have the necessary facilities, including recreational facilities, a green space and so that you can have an area to take your family,” he said.
“These are some of the restructurings we are doing in-house, because while we are stepping up with the amount of delivery that we have to do, it is still not good enough. And I publicly recognise this.”
Improving communication and access to information is also high on the ministry’s agenda. Regional offices are expected to develop better communication with head offices to play a stronger role in providing updates to applicants on the status of their housing applications and title processing, as the ministry works to deliver faster and more efficient service in Region Six and beyond.