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CH&PA maintains commitment to creating communities
…as Housing Expo opens
By Murtland Haley
An idea which was birthed in January 2016 has materialised into Housing Expo 2017.
Another attractive building gets the rush.
This initiative is government’s way of showcasing its intention to not only provide housing opportunities, but create communities across Guyana.
This was expressed yesterday at the launch of the event which will conclude on Monday.
Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul, said that his agency’s interest is not only in providing service lots, but more importantly, to create safe, cohesive and sustainable communities. He said that these communities must be areas where citizens live in peace and harmony and where all the basic social amenities for daily sustenance can be found.
Saul explained that it is the desire of CH&PA to regulate all development and construction in housing schemes. He said that a planning scheme will be used to regulate the Perseverance community.
“As a result, residents will benefit from improved land use, better social amenities and
One of the model homes on display at the Housing Expo
enforcement of regulations.”
According to Saul, Guyana’s current housing need is estimated at 8,100 new and renovated units per annum over the next eight years. He said that this target cannot be achieved without partners such as local and international financial institutions, builders, skilled workers and investors.
Also delivering remarks was Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan who said that meeting the housing deficit in Guyana has been a challenge which has occupied successive governments since Independence. He said that it is somewhat of a paradox that in a country with a declining population the need for housing seems to be constant.
Bulkan said that the previous People’s Progressive Party Civic administration had pursued to fill the gap using an unsustainable housing model. He said that the location of the project, Perseverance, East Bank Demerara, represents an acknowledgement that a new approach is needed. Bulkan explained that this 1,000 homes project started in 2013 and on May 19, 2014, construction began on the first batch of 50 houses.
A living room inside one of the duplexes.
One year later, he said that none of the houses could have been occupied. Based on this, Bulkan said that it became apparent that the approach was wrong. He said that the one house lot per person is too costly for the state and therefore a higher density model needs to be pursued if the government is to provide housing solutions and not just house lots. He said that to achieve this, there will need to be collaboration with contractors and members of the private sector.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson, said that the new approach seeks to provide housing solutions for low to middle income earners, state employees and the youth. She said that the final price for the housing units must make them accessible by all persons within the aforementioned categories.
Patterson said that government has reduced the cost for the house lots at Perseverance. The cost for the low income lots is $300,000; the moderate income $500,000 and the middle income lots are $700,000.
She said that the model village challenges financial institutions to develop innovative ideas to make their products and services accessible by the small man. Further, she said that the village gives young people an opportunity to start their lives.
The Perseverance initiative is a pilot project for the Ministry, and it is expected that communities including Amelia’s Ward in Linden, Onderneeming and Tuschen will be targeted at a later date.
On display at the Expo are model houses (single units) and duplexes. The use of model units is to give visitors a realistic idea of what the homes offer since they can interact and appreciate the design. These homes range from 600 square feet to 800 square feet. Persons interested can apply at the CH&PA.
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