Home improvement subsidies to be extended – Min Croal

…Vigilance to Diamond, WBD to also benefit

The home improvement subsidies given to Guyanese homeowners under the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme will see its boundaries extended along the East Coast, East Bank and the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).
In an invited comment, Housing Minister Collin Croal revealed that the IDB recently granted its no objection to the initiative. As a consequence, the home improvement subsidy that was previously rolled out by the Central Housing and Planning Authority will be extended.
“We have received approval for the extension of the boundaries. So, for the East Coast, it will reach to Vigilance. Of course, on the East Bank, it will be up to Grove-Diamond. And then over to Parfaite Harmonie on the (West Bank of Demerara). So that’s where the home improvement programme will be further extended to.”
The Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme is a US$27 million initiative executed by the CH&PA. Its components include home subsidies, construction of public infrastructure and the construction of core homes.
In fact, the Government currently has tenders out for contractors to construct core homes in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. According to Minister Croal, the infrastructure aspect of the programme is proceeding apace.
“The infrastructure work consists of the upgrade of roads, drains, including concrete drains, the installation of streetlights and sidewalks. That has been ongoing,” the Minister further explained to this publication.
The tenders inviting bids from contractors to construct core homes in the community of Sophia were recently launched by the Government of Guyana. According to the particulars of the contract tender, bidders were invited to bid for the construction of core homes in Sophia, Georgetown, in lots one to five. Their bids must be submitted by April 13, 2021.
The tender notes that funding was received from the IDB’s Road Network Upgrade and Expansion Programme, Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility. According to the contract, each lot has a construction period of 150 days.
“Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding procedures specified in the IDB’s Policies for the Procurement of Works and Goods Financed by the IDB and is open to bidders from all countries as defined in the guideline,” the tender stipulates.
The national housing development plan for 2021 includes the construction of 1000 homes for low-income earners in areas such as Cummings Lodge, Prospect, Providence, Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Onderneeing, Wales, Ordinance, Fortlands, Hampshire, Williamsburg and Amelia’s Ward. Another 100 is set aside for the hinterland communities.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government is mobilising to distribute a total of 10,000 house lots to Guyanese in 2021, in keeping with their manifesto promise to deliver 50,000 lots within their first term in office.
The areas which will be developed for allocations this year include Onderneeming in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Tuschen, Zeelugt, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Minister, Lust-en-Rust, Belle West in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Farm, Covent Garden, Providence, Prospect, Perseverance, Peters Hall, Good Hope, Mon Repos, Non Pariel, Hope South, Hope Estate in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Bath Settlement, Hope, Experiment in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
Also included are Ordinance, Kilcoy, Chesney in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Culvert City in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); and Amelia’s Ward, Linden, in Region 10.