Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
500 remigrant houselots to be ready by May
-gov’t targets 3,000 for locals by year end
By Kristen Macklingam
Five hundred remigrant houselots could be ready by May as government completes the first phase of the Providence scheme.
Kaieteur News understands that around 65% of the infrastructural work has been completed at the area. The “Remigrant Housing Scheme” is located at north of the Mocha Road and is about one mile east from the Providence Police Station compound.
Already, the Ministry of Housing and Water has received over 1,500 applications. More applicants are expected as the developmental process continues for the expansion of this housing scheme.
Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, in explaining yesterday the criteria for applicants who wish to be considered eligible for remigrant houselots, said it is “very simple”.
Works in progress at the Remigrant Housing Scheme, Providence, East Bank Demerara
Most applications are made via the internet and the applicants have to be Guyanese over 21 years of age. The applicant must own properties in Guyana and is required to commence building within six months after being allocated the houselot.
According to the Minister, the land size ranges from 6,000 to 8,000 square feet with prices between $4M and $7M.
“These land sizes and prices are determined based on the level of interest and the type of interest as demonstrated by the applicant. We have had more than 1,500 remigrant applications to date. In the first phase of the Remigrant Scheme we are targeting 500 lots. By early May we are hoping to be in a position to allocate the houselots to remigrant persons,” he said.
While the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) continues to be the focal point of the Ministry’s housing and development process, it is also expected that 3,000 more house lots will be available by the end of this year.
“This year we are targeting to achieve an allocation of 6,500 house lots and we have commenced works on developing the infrastructure that would facilitate this allocation. Our major area of development remains the East Bank corridor and this year we are hoping that we would allocate 3,000 house lots along the East Bank corridor.”
Kaieteur News was told that infrastructural works have already been completed at Eccles, EBD, where over 1,000 house lots were allocated.
More than 700 houselots were also made available at Herstelling.
The Minister further explained that the tendering process for the “Herstelling Phase Two Development” has already been completed.
The Housing Ministry is now concentrating on Farm, a neighbouring village to Herstelling, to accommodate another 700 house lots even as infrastructural works continue in Providence, EBD.
It is expected that by the end of April, more than 1,200 house lots will also be available in Providence upon completion of these works.
Meanwhile, in Region Three, 500 new house lots are expected to be allocated at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD). Presently the Ministry is at the designing stage for the development of 100 acres of land in the said village.
At Bartica, Region Seven, another 100 acres of land will be cleared and infrastructural works will commence after the tendering process is completed.
By early June it is expected that more than 500 house lots will be allocated in this area as well.
According to Minister Ali, while there is great demand for houselots on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) his Ministry has been finding difficulties in locating new lands. However, some lands were made available by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
“We have acquired 2,500 acres of land by GuySuCo and so far 500 acres have been released. We are looking to develop 300 acres by the end of this year to have close to 1,000 house lots available in the East Coast. We are also looking to acquire land in Region Six to continue the housing expansion there too. So this is where we are in the housing sector,” added Minister Ali.
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