PPP/C building on Coalition foundation, but still coming up short

Aug 18, 2021 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kindly permit me space in your letter column to publish my missive.
Last week the People’s Progressive Party/Civic celebrated its first year in office, the government has, over the last year, failed to address the needs of the Guyanese people while it continues to focus on frivolous matters and cheap politicking, while the people of this country continue to suffer. It has been one year of hampers and promises. Nonetheless, Editor, I wish to focus on the government’s housing programme.
In the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Regime’s 2020 Manifesto, on page 36, under the caption “Affordable Housing,” this is what the Introduction said:
“Hallmarks of PPP/C governments have been the housing program providing affordable housing to all Guyanese. The PPP/C developed and distributed 112,766 house lots to Guyanese families, 80% of which went to low-income families.” Further, they claimed that under the “APNU+AFC, no new housing schemes have been established and construction has slowed in existing schemes and the following promises were made for the housing sector, these include but are not limited to; create 10,000 house lots annually, invest in support infrastructure in existing and new housing schemes, reverse VAT on building materials, facilitate affordable financing for home ownership, promote home ownership, particularly among youths and young professionals, through tax and other incentives, promote partnerships and incentivise private sector involvement in the sector.”
Within its first year, the government has thus far boasted of allocating six thousand (6,000) house lots a clear shortfall from the ambitious ‘10,000’ mark. Editor, the PPP/C regime has highlighted its housing plan for the two decades – as ambitious as it maybe – it shows the foundation which was set and left behind by the APNU+AFC government.
Editor, when the coalition took office in May 2015, our medium-term goal for the housing sector was “to improve the quality of life through the provision of adequate and affordable housing solutions.” While the PPP/C regime in its 2020 Manifesto has accused the “APNU+AFC of not developing no new housing schemes. This is far from the truth! The APNU+AFC record speaks for itself. While we did not enjoy a full term in office, the Central Housing and Planning Authority, through the Ministry of Communities, was able to accomplish the following, though they were challenges and constraints in the Housing Sector inherited from the PPP/C government, because of their failed policies and programmes geared not to favour women, youths, public servants, single mothers, elderly, disabled and low income earners, but rather their friends, families and cronies, a typical example of which is the “PRADOVILLE 2 FIASCO.”
The CORE challenges facing Guyana’s housing programme are as follows: cost of financing, inadequate public infrastructure and services, the need for strategic planning, low take up in housing schemes and the need for a revision of the current configuration of processing applications.
Editor, it is an understatement by the PPP/C regime to say that the APNU+AFC government never developed “NO NEW HOUSING SCHEMES.” Well, as the last sitting minister with responsibility for housing under the David Granger Administration, let me highlight the accomplishments of the Housing Sector for May 2015 to May 2020, twenty-one (21) new housing areas were established, namely:

1.0 HOUSING AREAS
NO. DEVELOPED SCHEMES NO. OF LOTS NO SCHEMES TO BE DEVELOPED NO. OF LOTS
1. Pln. Recht Door Zee, WBD 25 11 Pln. Mon Repos, ECD 202
2 Parcel 123-125 Providence, EBD 1258 12 Pln. Vigilance, Bladen Hall and Strathspey, ECD 848
3 Section ‘D’ Non Pariel, ECD 30 13 Pln. Annandale, ECD 377
4 Pln. Providence Phase IV, EBD 97 14 Pln. La Bonne Intention, ECD 455
5 Pln. Peter’s Hall Block 11, EBD 279 15 Parcel 115 Providence, EBD 193
6 PP La Penitence, Georgetown 18 16 Prospect Phase 3, EBD 614
7 Amelia’s Ward, Linden 129 17 Pln. Cummings Lodge, Georgetown 370
8 Pln. Experiment, WCB 52 18 Pln. Experiment, WCB 670
9 Pln. Onderneeming, WBD 19 19 Pln. Fortland/Ordinance, EBB 251
10 Pln. Prospect Tract ‘E,’ EBD 186 20 #75 Corriverton, 257
TOTAL LOTS 2068 21 #79 Corriverton 36
TOTAL LOTS 4273

Housing units were allocated in the following areas: Perservance, EBD; Onderneeming, WBD; Experiment, WCB; Amelia’s Ward, Linden; and Prospect, EBD.
The Coalition Government, the Central Housing and Planning Authority, through the Ministry of Communities then in 2019, was able to acquire lands and made advancement payments to the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission in the following areas:
NO LOCATION ACREAGE

1. Ordinance/Fortlands 27
2 Lethem 110
3 Kwakwani 25
4 Amelia’s Ward 220
5 Wisroc 27

Editor, there are in excess of 300 housing areas incomplete across Regions, which require road upgrades. The Coalition Government assessed the cost implications to have the works done in these areas and it would have cost the government close to $50 Billion dollars.
The PPP/C regime has failed tremendously in moving the housing sector in the past and they will continue with their old habits and ways of doing business. Many have reported that people have started to compromise the system, where persons desperate for an allocation are paying in excess of Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) to process their applications.
Like other ministries, the PPP/C government pre-May 2015 had no plan or roadmap for the housing sector and I can guess there is none, but Guyanese are being plagued with imaginary dreams by this regime and should be mindful and careful of its FAILED POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR THE HOUSING SECTOR.
In conclusion, in a clear comparison of the two governments’ policies for the housing sector, I do believe that the coalition government had a better plan for housing, since we were building and creating wholesome and cohesive communities, rather than “bush lots.” A classical model is the Perseverance area on the East Bank Demerara, just take a TOUR.

Yours in service,
Ms. Annette Ferguson
Member of Parliament
APNU+AFC

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