Over 5000 house lots to be allocated during Building Expo – Croal

…says preparations on track for Friday’s opening

The Housing and Water Ministry will be allocating over 5000 house lots under the “Dream Realised” initiative during this weekend’s highly-anticipated International Building Expo 2022.
This is according to Housing Minister Collin Croal during an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday at the National Stadium tarmac in Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), which is buzzing with preparatory works ahead of the three-day event.

According to Croal, the Ministry’s Brickdam office has been packed over the past few days since these beneficiaries were called in to uplift their approval letters so that when they turn up at the Stadium, the land allocation process could be seamless.
“Throughout Saturday and Sunday, we have the “Dream Realised” land allocation exercise and in that exercise, we have over 5000 lots that would be allocated.”
“Such persons have been called in and they have uplifted their letters. They would be bringing that letter here, so we will have a smooth flow of the process,” the Housing Minister explained.
This allocation exercise, mostly for lots along the EBD corridor, would be done at the north-eastern end of the Stadium’s tarmac.
Minister Croal noted that these 5000 house lots fall under the Ministry’s quota of distributing 14,000 lots this year. He added that similar distribution exercises would be carried out in other regions across the country soon.

Preparations on track
The Housing Minister made these remarks while giving an update on the final works ongoing at the National Stadium tarmac ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony of the International Building Expo 2022, which will be held under the theme: “A New Frontier for Building a One Guyana.”

With more than 350 participants, both local and foreign, preparations are moving apace for the return of International Building Expo. The three-day event will see a wide variety of products and services on display catering mostly for construction and home-building.
“We’re very much on track with preparations for this Friday. We’re extremely pleased with where we’re at now… Most of the exhibitors are currently doing their labelling and preparing their respective spaces.
“All the booths have gone. So, we’re glad about that and that will tell you about the response and interest. We have over 350 booths that have been booked and paid for. By and large, we’re ready. We’re putting in the final touches in terms of preparation,” he noted.
Croal disclosed that of the 350 participants, at least 25 are foreign companies including some from the Caribbean – Suriname, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados along with others from the United States, Canada, and Ghana.
There will also be several new technologies and innovations on display at the Building Expo including the 3-D printing of a house that will be done over the course of the exhibition.
Additionally, several model houses – from both the State and Private Sector – have been constructed at the site.
“There are a number of model houses on display – mostly local – and those include three models from us at the Ministry and Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). We have the model house that being done for Barbados [by a private Guyanese company] and we have another local company that has another design house on display. So, we have options, but in all of this is innovation and new technology, and this is what this Building Expo will bring to you,” Croal noted.
Meanwhile, during the course of the Expo, there will be several events ongoing such as seminars on a variety of topics and the land allocation exercise.
Minister Croal further pointed out that the three-day event would be family-oriented with various activities and attractions for everyone.
“One can come to experience the One Guyana area. You can have your picture taken and enjoy the nice ambiance… We have the ‘Guyana Avenue’ where one can relax when they finish walking… To the further southern end would be the food court as well the play park area, because we’re encouraging families so you can bring the kids too because there’s a little thing for everyone aside from the serious business,” he said.
In addition, one of the new features that will be on display during the exhibition is a theatre that will be showing an artistic impression of the future of Guyana, showcasing the many infrastructural projects in the pipeline to be executed.
“So one can have a seat in the theatre area, where there will be a surprise video playing and so you can experience this Guyana – that will take you onto 2030. So,… there is a soft side too of the exhibition and not just the exhibitors,” Minister Croal stressed.
Friday’s opening ceremony will be open to all members of the public from 17:00h to 20:00h after which an entry fee of $300 per person will be charged until 23:00h. This will also be the entrance fee for Saturday and Sunday for which the gates will be opened from 10:00h to 23:00h. (G8)