Contracts signed for building of model houses for Housing Solution 2017 and Beyond Expo

GINA, GUYANA, Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CPHA) today signed 14 contracts for the construction of low, middle and moderate income houses.

These model houses will be on display at the CH&PA’s “Housing Solution 2017 and Beyond Exhibition,” set for May 1-5, in the Perseverance, East Bank Demerara area (EBD).

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, with responsibility for housing, Valerie Adams-Patterson presided over the signing of the contracts, between the CH&PA officials and the shortlisted contractors, in the Minister’s Secretariat, Brickdam.

The minister explained that the authority is seeking to create a long-lasting model village that the public can, over the years visit and appreciate, the government’s “new” housing ideas, for 2017 and beyond. “We want to show Guyana what is our way forward in the housing sector…we are setting up what we call a model village…the public can go to that location, see different housing models homes and different types of building materials used,”  she said.

The project is also aimed at significantly reducing the 25,000 housing application backlog within the CH&PA system, and to have the 28,000 vacant house lots across the country occupied. Hence, the prospective home owners must have, previously applied or must make an application for the house lot with the authority, the minister explained.

From an initial 30 contractors, who expressed interested in the project, the CH&PA shortlisted 14 to complete 10 low income, five moderate

income, and eight middle income houses for the creation of the model village for the exhibition.

The agency will complete six duplexes and two single units, and is hoping to have one of the contractors complete a town house.

Project Director (acting) Omar Narine explained that the contractors were given an 80 x 45 feet low income land to construct a 600-square foot house and an 80 x 62 feet moderate income land to construct a 900- square f00t moderate income house.

Those contractors opting to construct middle income houses were given 80 x 85 feet land to build 1100-square f00t houses, Narine explained.

The CH&PA will be using its existing resources from its 1000 homes project to build its eight units. The authority will be constructing duplexes of three designs and flats houses on stilts. Narine explained that the flats would be built on stilts to give the beneficiaries the option of enclosing the bottom flat.

He explained that the contractors have, within one week of signing of the contracts, to commence construction of the houses. They will have 14 weeks to complete them.

The CH&PA has conducted diligence background on the developers to ensure that they have the human resource, and the financial capability to complete the houses.

Meanwhile, CH&PA’s corporate Secretary, Hannifah Jordan explained that the contractors are solely responsible for the construction of the buildings. She pointed out that they must submit weekly progress reports to the authority.

Each contractor has been given a construction milestone that would also guide their construction and has also provided for on-site monitoring. Project Manager of the 1000 Homes Project, Kennard Dazzell will be on site to ensure value for money.

The contractor is also responsible for any defects to the building, Jordan said. The contractor during the period up to when the house is sold shall be responsible for the maintenance of all drain reserves and parapets, and these must be unencumbered, she said. The contractor is responsible for the sale of the house, and as such will set the cost for the units. The authority however, is responsible for the sale of the land. The purchaser must pay $300,000 for low income land, $500,000 for moderate income land and 700,000 for middle income land.

Jordan explained that as per the agreement signed by the contractors, the houses must be sold on or before, six months from the close of the exhibition.

Jordan explained that in the event that the contractor fails to complete the building for the exhibition, the incomplete building shall form part of the land managed and controlled by the authority which shall complete same. She said that the authority would reimburse the contractor for the incomplete building on the sale of the building, and that CH&PA would apply a value to the work not completed.

Further, the purchaser is prohibited from making any modifications or extensions to the building purchased for a period of five years, except with the consent of the CH&PA. The purchaser may make modifications thereafter with the permission of the Eccles/Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), she said.

The land and both the house cannot be sold until 10 years after the date of passing of the respective certificate, she said.

 

By: Macalia Santos