East Coast Demerara Residents Benefit from 600 House Lots
Six hundred (600) low, moderate and middle-income persons residing on the East Coast of Demerara, Region Four received house lots at Block D Pln. De Endragt, as the Ministry of Housing and Water – Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) closed the curtains on its ‘Dream Realised’ Housing Drive for the year 2022.
The Housing Drive was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Center (ACCC) on Tuesday. Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Hon. Susan Rodrigues; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Water, Mr. Andre Ally and Chief Executive Officer of CHPA, Mr. Sherwyn Greaves addressed the allottees during the opening ceremony. Also at the opening ceremony was the Chairman of the Mon Repos – La Reconnaissance NDC, Mr. Ayube Mohamed.
The Housing and Water Minister, Hon. Collin Croal stated that this final exercise will push the Ministry over its 10,000 goal for the year, and push overall allocations from August 2020 to December 2022 to more than 20,000. This the Minister said is another example of the government delivering on its promise to reduce application backlogs and provide affordable housing options. Of the total allocations, close to 5,000 persons from the East Coast of Demerara benefitted.
Additionally, on the East Coast of Demerara some $10 billion has been invested in first-phase infrastructure at La Bone Intention (LBI), La Reconnaissance, Mon Repos, Annandale, Vigilance, Strathspey, Bladen Hall, Foulis and Cummings Lodge.
“In 2023, we are projected to spend at least another $10 billion to be invested in new areas such as Hope, Hope Lowlands, Hope Estate, Good Hope and inclusive of where you are going, De Endragt,” Minister Croal affirmed during his address. He also underscored that in 2022 & 2023, some $13 billion will be invested in the Region Four water sector for the provision of a reliable supply of treated water, to the benefit of over 300,000 citizens.
Noting that homeownership is one of the largest and most important investment that most individuals will make in their lives, Minister Rodrigues said that the government’s housing programme is designed to make the journey easier through infrastructure development and programmes that cater to every income bracket.
“The way that we approach our housing programme is to enrich lives and to ensure that people increase their equity [and] ensuring that people increase their net worth through our housing programme,” stated Minister Rodrigues.
She also pointed out that government’s housing programme ensures that Guyanese benefit regardless of their ethnicity, religious background and geographic location. Housing for youths and vulnerable populations, as well as, creating job opportunities with the many spin-offs of the programme is also of key focus.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer stated that the lands allocated at Pln. De Endragt will be outfitted with the necessary infrastructure for sustainable housing developments.
“The area will house close to one thousand residential lots, it will also have areas put aside for worship, areas put aside for schools, commercial and industrial lots so businesses will be in the area,” the CEO outlined.
De Endragt is located less than nine miles away from the capital city and will also have basic utilities such as electricity and water, as part of the works. CEO Greaves further stated that the scheme will have great transportation access, as it will be connected to an incoming road link from Aubrey Barker Road, Georgetown to Enmore/Foulis.