Only 12% of the budget spent on housing development in 2016 – Min. Rodrigues

Dismantling the argument of the Opposition Members of Parliament that the government is only executing projects because of the abundance of resources owing to oil and gas, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues revealed that it was poor planning and execution that prevented the former David Granger Administration from doing its work.

The Minister made this revelation, during her Budget Debate in the National Assembly, on Thursday.

Referencing the Housing Fund, Minister Rodrigues pointed out the startling fact that although the Opposition bemoans not having resources to develop Guyana during their five-year tenure, they spent less than a quarter of the money already in their possession.

“In [2016], they budgeted $5.8 billion for housing development…Mr Speaker, out of that $5.8 billion, you know what they spent? They spent twelve per cent! And they want money to spend? Mr Speaker, they don’t know how to spend the money!” she explained.

Against this backdrop, the minister opined that it could have been difficult for them to spend any money if no plan existed in the first place.

“If you don’t have a vision, you can’t spend the money. If you don’t have a plan, you can’t spend the money. So, your argument about oil money is null and void. You have to have the sense to spend the money,” the minister asserted. 

In Budget 2023 alone, more than $54 billion was expended to further housing development across the country by the current PPP/C Administration.

This year, $78 billion has been budgeted to develop another 10,000 house lots. 

Last year, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) also processed nearly 7,000 land titles and transports, with some 5,000 expected to be delivered in 2024. 

These finances will be used for substantial infrastructure projects in both new and existing housing schemes. This will include the roads, bridges, drains, and the installation of utilities to meet the ever-growing housing demands.

This forms part of the PPP/C government’s commitment to deliver 50,000 house lots by the end of 2025.