THE Ministry of Housing–Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will begin transitioning to its new headquarters at Plantation Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD), over the coming days, in a move aimed at improving efficiency and delivering better service to the public.

The ministry has cautioned that some disruption to services should be expected while the relocation gets under way.

As of Monday, August 31, the Community Development Department, the Planning, Research, and Monitoring Unit, and the Human Resources Department will be the first to begin operating from the new location, the ministry announced.

Other key service departments are expected to relocate in the days that follow, as the agency completes what it has described as an important step in its operations.

The relocation shifts CH&PA from its long-standing home at 41 Brickdam and United Nations Place, Stabroek, Georgetown, to a newly constructed, five-storey complex along the Mandela to Eccles Highway at Houston, EBD.

The building forms one half of a twin development; a second structure rising nearby will serve as the new headquarters for Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal, had linked the scale of the new facility to CH&PA’s expanding mandate, noting during an earlier site inspection that a growing staff complement had outpaced the capacity of the agency’s existing office space.

The new Houston facility will give both staff and the visiting public significantly more space and comfort once the transition is complete.

In its notice, the ministry struck an appreciative tone as it prepared the public for the change, noting: “We thank the public for its patience and understanding as we complete this important transition, which is aimed at improving efficiency and delivering better service to you.”

Members of the public who need CH&PA’s services in the coming days were encouraged to confirm which department they require and its current location before visiting, since operations will be split between the old and new premises while the transition is under way.