Govt on track to provide 50,000 house lots at end of first term – Dr. Singh

─ as $12.4 billion budgeted for infrastructure works in housing schemes 

The sum of $12.4 billion has been allocated for continued infrastructural development works in housing schemes, including the upgrading of 45.5 km of roads in thirty-one (31) existing housing areas across Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and Ten.

This will see the PPP/C Government accelerating its national housing plan in 2022, in keeping with its manifesto promise of delivering 50,000 house lots to Guyanese by 2025.

An aerial view of housing development of the East Bank Demerara

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, M.P, made this announcement in his presentation of the National Budget on Wednesday.

In addition to roads, Minister Singh said drains and bridges will be constructed, as well as the installation of LED street lamps. Electricity distribution networks will also be completed in the existing housing areas, and electrical hardware will be procured for new housing areas.

Last year, a total of 10,063 house lots were allocated to Guyanese, many of whom had applied decades ago. This was done through the Ministry of Housing and Water ‘Dreams Realised’ housing drive across the country.

Additionally, some 1,266 land titles and transports were distributed in 2021, and another 6,000 applicants will be targeted in 2022.

“Our commitment is not only to distribute house lots, but also to ensure that persons become homeowners by constructing their own homes. In 2021, real estate loans issued by commercial banks totalled $95.6 billion, an increase of $5 billion over the previous year, and this amount is expected to increase further,” Minister Singh told the house.

In support of low-income households, the government, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) constructed 50 houses at Prospect in 2021 and, in 2022, 100 core homes will be constructed at La Parfaite Harmonie and Sophia Housing Areas with an additional 125 core homes to be constructed in areas to be identified. 

Further, a total of 228 home improvement subsidies were distributed in 2021 to the value of $114 million, and it is expected that 1,000 subsidies will be disbursed in 2022.  

For moderate income earners, 133 homes were constructed at Cummings Lodge, Onderneeming and Amelia’s Ward, as well as 100 houses for young professionals at Providence.

Further, the government has also negotiated successfully with commercial banks to reduce the mortgage interest rates to the lowest level ever seen in the history of the country, and have also taken bold steps to keep building material costs as low as possible.

In 2021, the sum of $18.7 billion was expended to continue the consolidation works in 11 existing CH&PA housing areas, including Great Diamond, Prospect and Cummings Lodge.

Minister Singh noted that the PPP/C Government is committed to providing affordable housing to the People of Guyana by making serviced house lots available for allocation, targeting young professionals, individuals with immediate needs, persons who have disposable income to commence construction, and plots for private housing developers.

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