CH&PA focuses on hinterland housing in 2019
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DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Two hundred million dollars ($200M) will be set aside by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) to construct twenty homes in Regions 7 and 8 as the agency focuses on hinterland housing development in 2019. Works will also be undertaken in Region Nine.
For the first time, housing development works will roll out in the Potaro-Siparuni Region and Indigenous communities in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region.
Lelon Saul, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CH&PA, indicated that for some time now there was a consideration to execute housing solutions in these particular areas. As such, a needs assessment was conducted and the project the project started.
“A needs assessment would have been done and we recognised that there is a demand for adequate housing in both regions Seven and Eight. Even though it will be expensive to transport construction material into the regions we are doing this because we are concerned about the welfare of the people in the interior and we don’t have a choice but to do it. We must do it!” Saul explained.
The option of further housing development is being explored in these two regions. Meanwhile, in Region 9, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, more homes are expected to be constructed. This is being facilitated through an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan granted in July 2015. The programme encompasses a total of 12 communities and their satellites in Regions 1 and 9.
Communities set to benefit from this last phase include Krowdaranau, Shiriri, Baitoon and Sand Creek among other areas.
“In 2019, the Central Housing and Planning Authority will continue the sustainable housing for hinterland programme where we will complete 116 houses in Region 9 in the Deep South Savannah and there are several communities that will benefit from this initiative,” the CEO added.
This will cost a final disbursement of $170M which will likely conclude the loan-used for sustainable hinterland housing. Materials and labour for this project will be sourced from the region while other items will be procured outside of the region.
While the majority of this project’s funding will go towards full house subsidies, there will be at least 20 roof replacements done. All of this, Saul said, is being done to provide equal housing opportunities for persons in hinterland indigenous communities.
Delicia Haynes.
Images by Giovanni Gajie.