Dear Editor,
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, enthusiastically reports that the International Building Expo 2022 “exceeded the expectations of both exhibitors and visitors.” The installation of 356 booths at the 5-day Expo 2022 does indicate the high confidence that investors and companies have in the country’s investment climate and the rapidly growing economy.
Pointing out that the cost of the Expo was met by Exhibitors and not by the Government, Minister Croal says that one of the objectives of the Expo was to reduce the 50,000+backlog of house lots and to accelerate the application process. To this end, 5,000 house lots and 750 titles were given out to Guyanese during the Expo.
Apart for moving aggressively in other areas to empower people through providing them with jobs and a good education, the PPPC Government recognises that land and home ownership is also a powerful empowerment tool. Thus, creating a forum in which builders, investors, banks, Government functionaries, visitors and consumers could interact with one another, as well as to view different models of homes, equipment, etc., at one place (Providence Stadium) was in itself a great accomplishment.
Building upon the first Expo in 2010, the theme for International Building Expo 2022 was: “A New Frontier for Building a One Guyana.” I believe that the Expo’s multiple objectives flowed out of the policy framework that is laid out in the PPPC’s National Economic Development Strategy 1994 (NDS), A National Competitiveness Strategy 2006, and the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 (LCDS). I identified both general and specific objectives. The general objectives include: (1) the opportunity for local, regional, and international investors to showcase new and innovative techniques in the building and construction sector; (2) introducing of 3D building technology into the housing sector; (3) the creation of a vision tunnel 2030 to show how housing would be transformed in the future; (4) introducing environmentally-friendly houses that are being built wholly with recycled materials.
The specific objectives include: (1) introducing at least 8 different models of housing to potential homeowners in the low income, middle income, and professional categories (people could choose models other than those displayed); (2) providing ready and direct access for citizens to interact with builders, banks, exhibitors, service companies, Government agencies; and (3) encouraging an expanding role for the Private Sector in housing development.
The PPPC’s 2020 Manifesto sets a target of 50,000 house-lot allocation during the Government’s 5-year term (2020-2025). To achieve this goal, they must double the amount of house lots that were given out at an annual average of 5,125 during the period 1992 to 2014. While the PPPC has not met its average minimum of 10,000 house lots per year for its first two years in office, it still was able to allocate an annual average of 6,000 per year compared with the PNCR-led Government’s annual average of 1,507. The PPPC vows that their target of 50,000 house lots to be allocated within their 5 years would be realised.
In addition, the PPPC is in the process of building 1,200 housing units. Minister Croal says that 300 of these units have already been allocated to families.
The PPPC blames the PNCR-led Government for not creating any new housing scheme during their term in office (2015-2020). The former PNCR Minister of Housing says that they had identified 5 areas comprising 409 acres in Regions 9 and 10 for housing development, and another 21 new housing sites (with 4,273 house lots) in Regions 3, 4, and 6, but they lacked the resources for the requisite infrastructural development.
The entry fee into Expo 2022 of G$3,000 per person for the first 3 days did not prevent Guyanese from all levels of society from visiting the national treasure. The house lot awardees who did not attend the Expo could pick up their titles and house lot grants at their respective regional offices. The public response was so overwhelming for the first 3 days that the organisers extended the Expo for two additional days and with free entry for visitors.
An estimated 100,000 persons visited the Expo during the five days.
An NBS Director says the NBS received 250 applications for loans within those 5 days, and that outside of Expo 2022, the NBS would normally get this amount of applications over a 6-month period. The NBS is currently processing those applications. No information was received from the other Banks.
An immediate outcome was the announcement by President Dr Irfaan Ali that Government would grant as incentive to people who are building houses valued at G$6 million and less – the steel and one sling of cement – while those building houses valued between G$6 million and G$25 million would get two slings of cement. Filled with exuberance, a few businesspeople say that cannot wait for the next Housing Expo!
Noting the positive outcome of Expo 2022, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, says that it was a “blueprint to Guyana’s architectural future.” She continues: “ The new companies were grateful for the platform we provided for exposure and networking, while many of them received orders in quantities that they never received before.” CEO of CH&PA, Sherwin Greaves, states: “based on the testimonials of those persons who would have been allocated house lots and received their titles, many aspiring homeowners would have left the ‘Expo’ very happy.”
Sincerely,
Dr Tara Singh
