A move to correct so many social ills

Nov 07, 2009 Editorial

It is the dream of every individual to own a home. Older folk always say that people should always look for somewhere to rest their head; it is the home that often becomes the centre of the family.
There are families that trace their origin to a certain home and the building remains at the centre of family traditions. But if the truth be told, not everyone will own a home for a variety of reasons; some because their financial status would not allow it and others because they seek things that they consider more important.
In the 1950s, with the advent of the PPP Government, at a time when many rural folks lived in thatched houses and logies the government began a programme to construct homes and so emerged the first housing schemes. They were built in many parts of the country, but particularly in the city.
This programme continued in the 1970s with numerous self-help housing schemes. These were subsidized by the government; the potential owners provided the labour and for a while, the pressure for homes decreased.
Nearly two decades later the housing drive was resurrected but this time there was a programme to provide people with house lots. Of course, there were the critics who complained that without money, people were unable to exploit the house lots although areas like South Sophia, Liliendaal, parts of West Demerara and Berbice soon proved the critics wrong.
People started small then expanded. The more affluent built their homes at places like Diamond. Some bought homes from realtors who constructed them and then sold them to the needy homeowner.
This programme has taken on a life of its own because people are running away from rental houses, some choosing to squat on government reserves, at great risk to the health and safety.
Today, there is no reason why the average person in Guyana cannot own a home. President Bharrat Jagdeo announced on Thursday that following a meeting with the commercial banks, he had increased the tax rebate on mortgage portfolios—up from $3 million to $8 million.
It means that people can access ready money to build their homes at rates that are markedly lower. There are those among us who can afford the mortgage repayment so the borrowing should not be a problem.
The government has gone even further; taking into consideration the vulnerable among us. A sum of money has been set aside for those who because of age criterion and perhaps earning capacity, will not qualify for the loans from the commercial banks.
What makes this programme so remarkable is the fact that there is no country that comes readily to mind in which there is such a concentrated focus on housing. And the reason for this should be clear. People who are satisfied become even better performers in the work place thus enhancing production and productivity.
Family units become even more solidified and this has a direct effect on the health of the people and of the nation by extension. Academic performances should improve and in the long run there should be better qualified Guyanese.
The facts are clear. The best performers are those who come from better homes where there is less stress on the part of the parents. Perhaps this is the intention of the decision makers, because over the past few decades the performances of the school children have not been as outstanding as expected. There developed a growing number of people who are functionally illiterate.
There is another fallout from the poor housing condition—the phenomenon of street children. In one fell swoop there seems to be a decision that could see marked social development in the country for the better of all.

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