Expansion on housing programme in works – Min. Hughes

DPI, Guyana, Sunday, November 10, 2019

Plans are being put into place to expand the government’s housing scheme initiative. According to the Minister of Public Telecommunications, Hon. Catherine Hughes, this is to reduce the number of housing applications currently at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

The disclosure was made during a community meeting held at the Kingston Secondary School, on Friday, November 8.

“What we have recognised is that in the next budget we will have to expand on the housing programme… the priority we are making now is to provide more house lots and the infrastructure to go with it, which is important… We are not saying that you will have to wait another 20 years, but that we have to double up at a faster rate.”

The minister explained that to make the dream of homeownership a reality; the agency is currently collaborating with other stakeholders – such as the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) and Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo), among others – to locate vacant lands that can be utilised to establish housing schemes.

This matter was brought to the fore as a resident, Jordan Andrews, who attended the community meeting, revealed a predicament that is currently facing herself and family members. She explained that the foundation of her current home has been unstable. The situation has led to the family storing most of their furniture in the corner of the home, as a safety precaution.

Andrews disclosed that her application is still being processed at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

Sharing a similar story, Tiffany Rose, a nurse attached to the Mocha Health Centre, explained that she too is awaiting the processing of her application at the agency.

Minister Hughes stressed that the issuance of house lots has been a significant challenge since taking office, especially with the tremendous backlog. Nevertheless, she noted that the government has been working assiduously to address it.

“We are not able to generate enough house lots to meet the demand, and now we are working to ensure all who applied for land are catered for. This issue we are talking about has been accumulating for some time, so there is a huge backlog of applications, and to address it will take time.”

The minister also had a follow-up meeting with the two residents upon completion of the larger engagement in the village.

Also accompanying the minister was His Worship the Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine.

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