Region 5 outreach: Govt explores new housing model to assist persons with construction of low-income homes – VP Jagdeo

…says oil revenues will be used to transform health care, agriculture, education sectors

A new housing programme is currently being explored which will see persons who are currently financially unable to construct their homes but have available plots of land being provided with assistance by the Government.
This was disclosed on Wednesday during a community meeting at Dundee, Mahaicony by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
While highlighting the strides the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has made in the housing sector since assuming office in August 2020, VP Jagdeo related, “The State is willing, the Government is willing to intervene and assist with that too, to help those who may not have the capital at the beginning, but want to get their homes built.
“We’re now exploring a model where we may be able to do this, not just in the housing schemes, but for individuals who already own their plots of land, to extend that into those communities and get the construction done on your own plots of land and then they take a mortgage and the Government recovers its money.”
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the beginning of this year announced that the Government would be constructing 1000 houses utilising 100 per cent local wood, as part of its efforts to provide affordable homes to Guyanese.
The Administration has accelerated its national housing programme through the allocation of lands and the construction of low-income, moderate-income and young professional homes for citizens.
Under the construction initiative, the Housing and Water Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is constructing a total of 350 two-bedroom elevated homes in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown; 100 two-bedroom flat units in Prospect, East Bank Demerara (EBD); 100 two-bedroom flat units in Williamsburg, Region Six; and 40 two-bedroom elevated units in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10.

Another 200 two-storey and flat units are being constructed at Providence, EBD and 150 more in Prospect.
Additionally, under the Core Home Support Initiative, 25 homes were constructed in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Region Three, while another 25 are under construction in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. These homes target low-income and vulnerable families who are only required to make a contribution of $100,000 towards the homes.
This year, $12.4 billion has been allocated for continued infrastructural development works in housing schemes, including the upgrading of 45.5 kilometres of roads in 31 existing housing areas across Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and 10.
This is in keeping with Government’s commitment to deliver 50,000 house lots to Guyanese by 2025.
Meanwhile, at De Edward, West Bank Berbice (WBB), the VP told residents that funds from the oil sector would go towards improving the educational system in the country which includes training persons and providing better facilities.
The focus will also be on the health sector with plans to construct six new hospitals including the much-needed specialty facility.
“This is for women and children with complicated cases so that we have the best care in the world right here in Guyana for the complicated cases. That hospital would be built in the Ogle area. The hinterland regions will have four major telemedicine facilities because you know of the distance in those regions – Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine. So, there would be a lot of money going to healthcare development; not just the infrastructure but the quality of services and training people to accommodate the expanded services,” the Vice President noted.
The oil revenues will also be used to transform Guyana’s infrastructure including the construction of a deep-water harbour and road network linking the coast to neighbouring Brazil and also a new road linking Moleson Creek to the Berbice River Bridge.
“The infrastructure rolled out across the country has to help to make our business community more competitive and also create the infrastructure of the future – not just social infrastructure but a physical infrastructure that would support a diversification policy.”
Further, the Vice President told residents that monies would also be expended on the diversification of the agriculture sector with special emphasis on non-traditional crops.