Tabatinga, Culvert City handed over to Lethem municipality
– CH&PA pledges $100M to upgrades schemes’ roads in 2019
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Tabatinga and Culvert City housing schemes were handed over to the Lethem Municipality thus regularising them and authorizing the town council to oversee further development to the schemes. This official hand over took place Sunday last, in Lethem.
The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has been responsible for the management and maintenance of the two housing schemes from 2010 to Sunday last when the schemes were handed over. Chief Executive Officer of the CH&PA, Lelon Saul said that since then, the government has expended a total of $355M to develop and maintain the two schemes.
He explained that development works included the construction of roads and drains. There was also the installation of a well in Culvert City along with water and electrical distribution networks in the two schemes.
In Tabatinga, 15 core houses were constructed by CH&PA which also constructed a community recreation facility for residents earlier this year.
Making note of this, Saul took the opportunity to outline to the town council their responsibilities to pursue further development of the two housing schemes.
“It is expected that you will exercise total control over these areas and monitor all development activities within the township. I urge you to discourage unauthorized development and squatting. This is your town to develop and protect. As we seek to provide housing for the most vulnerable in our society, I ask the municipality to explore the possibility of providing affordable housing solutions to low-income families.” The CEO explained.
Saul added that even though the two schemes are now handed over, the CH&PA will ensure that in 2019 there are infrastructural improvements to the roads and drains. “These works include upgrades of roads to asphaltic concrete and construction of reinforced concrete drains, a total of $100M will be spent.”
The official documents were handed over to Lethem’s Mayor, Kerry Jarvis. The Mayor pleaded with stakeholders of Region Nine and Lethem to be involved in the continued momentum of development of the town.
Additionally, he said this hand over will eliminate the red tapes that previously prevented the town council from conducting much-needed works in the scheme.
“I remember at the last flood we wanted to do an emergency work in the new culvert city scheme because it was a flooded area and then I realised that we needed to go through all the different avenues before we can get there. The thing is by the time we finished doing all the necessary writing and advocating the damage would have been already done.” Jarvis said.
He added that this is a milestone achievement for Lethem as it would contribute to moving the town forward.
Lethem was officially declared a town in October 2017. Since then, there have been moves by the central government to ensure the Mayor and Town Council functions effectively in rolling out developmental projects which would benefit people of the township.
The official handing over of the two housing schemes to the Lethem municipality was part of a series of activities to mark Lethem town week 2018.
By: Delicia Haynes.
Images: Keno George.