Housing and You… Bringing down the curtain on a thoroughly enjoyable experience

Nov 16, 2014 News

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By Leonard Gildarie

Everyone has a passion. Sometimes it starts with a small action and then it takes on a life of its own. Some of these “hobbies” can either be good or bad.

Just about three years ago, I was tasked with submitting a piece for the Sunday edition of the newspaper. I wrote about my experiences while building my home at La Parfaite Harmonie, on the West Bank of Demerara. The bittersweet memory of that experience elicited numerous comments and calls by readers for us to examine other issues.

It left me with the sweet burden of preparing a piece of this important issue every Sunday for over two years.

The burden of research, the many closed doors and unanswered phones of authorities, would pale in comparison to the joy of writing about what I considered to be an extremely critical area in the country’s development.

Yes, housing has remained a key sector from which spin-offs have been generating thousands of jobs. From the hardware companies to Canter trucks, the construction boom has been benefitting contractors, masons, banks and lawyers, GRA, the list goes on and on.

But perhaps the biggest benefits would of course remain the new home-owner. Owning a home for many Guyanese has been major achievement. Just the thought of owning a home and leaving that for your loved ones is enough. It also places equity in your hands. This means that you can take that property and ask the banks to finance either an expansion of the current home or raise capital for a business. That, according to the Government, gives you immediate empowerment. I like that word.

We would have spoken extensively on the need for discipline and choosing the right contractor. There are many scams being pulled off by contractors who have honed their skills to a fine art. Oh yeah, they are sweet-talkers.

It is easy to start building a home and think that the foundation is the biggest headache. The real expenses start when the roof, windows, internal fixtures and contractor fees for this and that come into play. Incidental expenses like transportation and a little bag or two of cement that has been forgotten, all add up.

Of course, for many new homeowners, they would have had to approach the lending institutions for a mortgage. The dropping of the interest rates and the subsequent introduction of the low income mortgages have all helped to make housing even more affordable. The application process, the hurdles at the NDCs and Town Councils – all have been addressed at some length.

We would have also looked at the wiring, the drawing of plans and the need for proper management of millions that would be advanced for the construction of the home by the banks and NBS.

Many folks have had difficulties in managing the money because they simply had no idea that budgeting remained a key aspect of the construction.

Because the housing schemes are scattered all over the coastland, the allocation of house lots has also led to many families finding it difficult to deal with real issues like finding transportation, enrolling their children in school, and working in the city at the same time.

The hurdles have been many and I have attempted to raise the issues one by one.

Of course without our readers, and even support from Government officials at times, the articles would have been difficult without the many tips and issues raised via email and even phone calls.

As we speak, almost all the house lots on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara have been allocated in the areas that have been developed. Lands are still being earmarked for development in the West Demerara area.

The Housing Ministry has now started looking at opening lands along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway to meet the demands of the additional applications on file.

So where does that leave us?

The housing articles are easily accessible on our website, www.kaieteurnewsonline.com.

We have received many complaints of the problems in the timely processing of titles and transports at the relevant registries. I do believe, based on conversations with senior officials with the relevant agencies, that they are accessible. I know for a fact that the Housing Minister has an open day weekly at his Brickdam office, in which he meets with the public to hear complaints. The banks are all available, and I am sure if there are questions, one of the officers is always available.

So too is the letters to the editor section in the newspaper if all else fails.

I would be the first to say that owning a home and the experience of its construction have all made me a stronger person. I learnt tolerance. It also felt good to own a part of this wonderful country of ours.

Looking back, perhaps the biggest joy was answering those many emails from especially our overseas readers. It had been a daily chore for me that I really looked forward to.

I have seen figures where over 30,000 families from squatters’ settlements now have titles to their property, good roads, water and even telephones. Government has also said that over 50,000 house lots have been allocated since they came into power back in 1992.

So yes, there is a wealth of information available also on the Central Housing and Planning Authority website and even at the Government electrical inspecting department.

I do believe that with discipline, the recognition of need to continuously educate ourselves, and a love for this country, Guyana can become a place where persons are clamouring to come and live here as well as do business. We have the resources. We have to develop the will.

So again to the many readers, thank you for allowing me the opportunity of sharing my thoughts, and candid ones at that, with you over the past two to three years. As I bring the curtain down, it would be remiss of me to not say that this wonderful country is ours and that we must all work to build it.

I remain available for questions, and of course, will be examining other issues of national importance.

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