Former Minister within the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration, Annette Ferguson, is calling out what she describes as the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government’s “continuous lies” about progress in the housing sector.
During a drive through Great Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara, Ferguson recorded and documented what she observed as a series of unfinished and unoccupied houses—many overtaken by thick bush, some abandoned for years, and others still locked up with no signs of occupancy.
“On the 19th day of August 2025, I decided to take a drive to visit some areas and see what’s happening in the housing sector… just to expose the continuous lies that this People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government will from time to time say to the people of Guyana—that they’re building houses, they’re giving out house lots,” Ferguson stated.
The former Minister highlighted rows of incomplete structures, claiming that they stood as evidence contradicting the government’s oft-repeated claims of having distributed over 50,000 house lots between 2020 and 2025.
“Look what is happening here,” Ferguson said, pointing to overgrown land and halted construction. “You’re seeing unfinished houses… Contractors might have given up on the project because they hadn’t the money to complete these houses.”
Driving through Great Diamond, Ferguson noted the glaring disconnect between government statements and what she saw on the ground.
“They say they’re addressing the housing needs, but look what’s happening here—it’s bush, bush. Incomplete houses. Hundreds—if not thousands—of people are applying for house lots every day, but these houses are still locked up, not occupied.”
Ferguson emphasized the small size of many units, saying they are less than 700 square feet, yet even those modest homes remain unused.
“These houses have not been allocated. People are suffering in this country,” she stated. “How is it the government claims it distributed 50,000 house lots when nobody’s living there?”
Recounting previous visits to the area, Ferguson claimed that no real progress had been made over the years, despite government promises.
“I remember seeing these houses started years ago. I visited this area on several occasions. Nothing significant has changed—nothing.”
Ferguson directly challenged Housing Minister Colin Croal to account for the situation.
“Where, when, and to whom? That’s what I want to know, Minister of Housing Colin Croal. Where, when, and to whom?”
She accused the PPP of prioritising land and housing for political allies.
“The only thing the PPP gets right is giving to their friends, their families, and their associates—all their prime lands—to build apartments, to build houses, to build businesses… to build generational wealth. That is what they’re doing.”
With General and Regional Elections approaching, Ferguson urged Guyanese to take a stand.
“Come September 1st, you have some crucial decisions to make. You cannot put back the People’s Progressive Party in government. You have to kick them out. They can’t get nothing right. The only thing the PPP gets right is how to steal our money. That is what is happening.”
Ferguson’s remarks add to growing public frustration about housing allocation, and she insists the images from Great Diamond speak for themselves.
“This is what’s happening. The PPP wants us to believe that all is well—all is well. From 1992 to 2015 they couldn’t get it right, and you think they get it right between 2020 to now? No!”
As citizens continue to voice concerns about transparency and equity in housing distribution, Ferguson’s on-the-ground account raises serious questions about the PPP government’s claims of success in the housing sector.
Listen to Ferguson here:
https://www.facebook.com/1521563309/videos/pcb.10227414204890433/1095365192182409
