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From ‘pit latrines’ to ‘water closets’…IDB funds to improve living conditions of low income families
Aside from building new homes, a portion of the funds being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will go towards home improvements in low-income areas in parts of Guyana.
The bank has agreed to provide US$63.5M to fund Government’s Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Program which also includes a component for home renovations.
According to the agreement signed last year December between the IDB and the government, home improvement subsidies will focus on basic improvements, including repairs to roofs, walls, floors, expansion to address over-crowding and sanitation improvements, including the replacement of pit latrine with a water closet.
Under the agreement, the home improvements will be capped at US$2,500.
The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA0 is the executing agency for the housing programme.
As part of the programme, loans will be utilized for the construction of core homes on existing serviced lots.
Funds will be used to cover the costs of home design and construction, including materials and labor, and supervision. The agreement stipulates houses shall have a minimum of 400 square feet, be single-family homes, with an estimated 2017 cost of US$20,000 each.
According to the loan agreement, this support will be targeted to help vulnerable households, including those led by single parents, and those living in structures that are not habitable. In special occasions, families may also opt to relocate to serviced and transportation-accessible CH&PA sites in the Project area.
The objective of the reformulated Project is to improve the quality of life in urban and peri-¬urban Georgetown through better access to adequate housing and basic infrastructure for low-income populations, and through improved accessibility and mobility services.
Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan
The specific objectives improve housing conditions and access to basic infrastructure for low-income communities; enhance urban and suburban mobility and safety; and strengthen national and local capacity to operate and maintain urban services.
The bank on December 7, last, approved a request from Guyana to reassign an undisbursed loan balance of U.S. $63.5 million which was originally approved by the bank in 2012 and earmarked for a road network and expansion programme.
The total loan approved was US$66.2M with a second component being the road improvement works to be executed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
As part of the December agreement, some US$3 million in local counterpart funds were included.
Under the agreement, the Government is required, through the executing agencies to hire independent consultants to prepare a mid-term and final evaluation of the reformulated project, which will include two separate sections and relevant information, focused on both components of the loan.
According to the amended agreement, the midterm evaluation will be carried out at the end of the 30 months from the date of the amendment or when 50 percent of the resources of the financing have been disbursed, whatever occurs first.
The agreement stipulates that the evaluation must include the results produced by the Project execution with regards to attaining the project’s objectives stated in the results framework; the progress of implementation activities, and procurement procedures and results for goods, services, consultancies, and civil works; and the progress in the implementation and effectiveness of the environmental and social measures being instituted to mitigate the impacts of the project.
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