Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues did not mince words when she stood in the National Assembly on Tuesday to debate the 2020 National Budget. Rodrigues, in her maiden presentation, told the House that the Housing Sector under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government was a colossal failure with only 8,434 house lots allocated over the last five years.
In 2015, the APNU+AFC Administration allocated a total 1,223 house lots through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) followed by another batch of 2,020 house lots in 2016; 1,131 in 2017; 776 in 2018 and 1,301 in 2019. Between January and July 2020, a total of 1,987 house lots were allocated.
The Housing Minister further submitted that while the David Granger Administration promised Guyanese that house lots will be allocated in areas with roads, drainage, sidewalks, lighting, social services and recreational facilities – many areas lack basic amenities.
“Mr. Speaker, from Jan – July 2020 alone, APNU+AFC made 1,987 allocations, representing 99.35% of their target. But guess what? Out of those 1,987 allocations they only processed a meagre 251 titles representing 16.5% of their target. You know why Mr. Speaker? Because these lots were allocated to our people in areas not even under the ownership of CH&PA, a far cry from the promised community experience,” she said.
Rodrigues told her colleagues on both sides of the House that the total number of 8,434 house lots allocated during the APNU+AFC’s reign in Office is insignificant when compared to the more than 50,000 applications in currently within the system.
“Mr. Speaker, under the APNU+AFC administration there was a lazy, haphazard, uninspiring approach to housing, with emphasis on allocations and not on providing housing/shelter for Guyanese,” Minister Rodrigues told the House, noting that the mass distribution of house lots in the lead up to the General and Regional Elections was nothing but a political gimmick.
Pledging to do better, the Housing Minister said the PPP/C administration will allocate 50,000 house lots over the next five years as strives to meet the demand of the people, noting that a serviced lots would be provided through a comprehensive and coordinated approach between CH&PA and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).
“Mr. Speaker, this PPP/C Administration will give meaning and reality to Article 26 by going one step further. As in our Manifesto for the 2020 Elections, and indeed for all the elections going back to 1992, we are determined to enable every Guyanese family a proper home in a safe, secure and proper neighbourhood. Not as squatters or as tenants but as responsible and proud owners, with titles that banks and other lending institutions will regard as good security,” the Housing Minister said.
It was explained that the Government’s Housing Development Programme is designed to implement national housing and settlement policies through an efficient, well-planned, coordinated and structured framework; in order to realise the development of sustainable, affordable and modern settlements.
“Mr. Speaker, $1.721 billion is allocated for infrastructure development to make serviced lots available. This allocation includes monies for the acquisition of lands from NICIL, GUYSUCO and GL&SC as part of our 50,000 house lots commitment to the electorate. This 2020 programme sets the conditions for the awakening of the housing sector under the PPP/C,” Minister Rodrigues said.
It was explained that $292.8M has been budgeted for the preparation of land for residential lots. It includes finances for the construction of roads and bridges to access lands for preparation works in Recht-Door-Zee, Block AI Annandale, Cummings Lodge, Industry, Vigilance, Lethem, and Kwakwani.
An additional $200M has also been budgeted for the procurement of electrical line hardware material for installation of electricity in another 16 housing areas, including Cummings Lodge, Annandale, Prospect, No. 79 Skeldon Estate Backland, No. 75 Village, Hampshire and Williamsburg. Another $80M has been set aside for the installation of wells at Lust en Rust and Prospect.
“Mr. Speaker, many residents in housing areas on the West Demerara, East Bank Essequibo, East Berbice, Lethem and Linden suffer greatly from poor security, especially single mothers who fear to get home or to venture out after the sun sets. Our government recognizes this problem and has allocated $49.2 million to begin addressing it. We will install LED Street Lamps in sixteen housing areas in Belle West, Schoonord, Zeelugt, Uitvlugt, Farm, Covent Garden, Herstelling Peter’s Hall, Kilcoy/Chesney and Wisroc among other areas,” the Housing Minister further detailed.
Further, to assist potential home owners, the PPP/C Administration has taken a decision to remove VAT from building materials so as to bring down the cost of construction. Additionally, there will be no VAT on water.
