Providing sustainable, affordable housing for Guyanese
By: Lorenda Cuffie
The government has been leading the upliftment of Guyanese through its massive homeownership drive nationwide.
Since coming into office in August 2020, the PPP/C Administration committed to fast-tracking homeownership, after realising there was a sloth in the delivery of house-lots in the preceding five years.
As such, a plan was crafted and a promise given to distribute a mammoth 50,000 house-lots to Guyanese from 2020-2025.
In 2023 alone, almost 10,000 house-lots were allocated.
With the $78 billion allocated for the 2024 budget to expand housing developments, the government has distributed 4,161 house-lots, bringing the number of allocations to over 35,000 to date.
But, that’s not all for 2024. From August 8, thousands of Guyanese will receive house-lots when Guyana hosts the 2024 International Building Exposition, at the National Stadium, Providence.
While the government is on track to delivering the promised 50,000 house-lots by 2025, it has assumed another project of constructing homes with the understanding of the varying financial situations of Guyanese.
Even a household with low income can afford to purchase one of these houses.
So far, 1,693 homes have been completed and another 1,490 are under construction.
Homes are not just being built on the coast. The government has an active hinterland housing programme, with 50 houses completed and handed over to families from Kokerite, Warapoka, Yakarinta, Nappi and Haimaruni.
Core home support
The $5.8 billion Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), ensures vulnerable families benefit from ‘core homes.’
This initiative has ensured that 121 families have a comfortable home. The houses were built in Haslington, Beterverwagting, Cummings Lodge, Hope, Non Pareil, Sophia, Lust-en-Rust, La Parfaite Harmonie, Great Diamond, Farm and Golden Grove.
Construction of another 188 core homes have been earmarked for this year alone.
Development of housing areas
With the high demand for house-lots, the government developed 25 housing areas last year in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven.
For 2024, alone, the government has earmarked 21 housing areas for development in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Ten.
Road upgrade works have been completed in over 50 existing housing areas, while works are ongoing in 27 more.
Over 30,000 households benefitted from the installation of electrical infrastructure in over 15 areas and 35 communities benefitted from the installation of 2,959 street lamps.
The government has also regularised 1,391 lots in 13 squatting areas. This has paved the way for many families to commence constructing their dream homes.
Some 3,178 ownership documents were issued in 2023 while over 1,067 have been issued so far in 2024.
Housing subsidy programmes
Many families have benefited from the disbursement of housing subsidies to commence construction on their dream homes.
Since the conception of the steel and cement subsidy, 1,346 vouchers have been issued to families from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Nine and Ten.
Under the Lethem Housing Support initiative, the government signed contracts with several villages to supply clay bricks and timber for the construction of 100 houses in Culvert City, Lethem.
So far, 30 houses have been completed and 70 under construction with the $400 million invested.
Residents from Laing Avenue in Georgetown are benefitting from the $50 million Laing Avenue Housing Grant, which was announced in November 2023.
In January, the first set of 60 families received housing grants to conduct much-needed repairs on their homes. They collected $350,000 each.
To date, some 122 vouchers have been issued totalling $42.7 million.
Silica City
Construction commenced on over 70 out of 110 young professional homes at Guyana’s first smart, urban centre, Silica City, situated along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
Some $3 billion is being invested towards the construction of these homes.
Construction of four-lane highways
The construction of several four-lane highways has significantly alleviated traffic congestion for thousands of residents and commuters and opened up new economic opportunities.
Phase One of the Eccles Landfill Road was completed and commissioned in September 2023 and works are in progress on Phase Two.
Additionally, the $13.3 billion Heroes Highway was commissioned in December 2023, while works commenced on the $11 billion four-lane highway from Diamond to Buzz Bee Dam (Craig).
Works are ramping up on the $15.1 billion four-lane highway from Schoonord to Crane and is expected to be commissioned soon.
The $11 billion four-lane road from Diamond to Crane is expected to be completed by year-end.
Electronic planning, development single window system
In keeping with its unwavering commitment to modernisation, transparency and efficiency in delivering public services, the government launched the electronic planning and development single window system in June 2024.
This has reduced the processing time for planning and building permits and improve customer service for many developers and Guyanese.
In July 2023, the Planning and Development Single Window Act was passed in the National Assembly, aimed to govern the implementation and management of the system.