$148.9B to boost housing, water, and sanitation

Jan 18, 2025 News

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By Shania Williams

Kaieteur News- The Ministry of Housing and Water in Guyana is set to receive a substantial allocation of $148.9 billion in the 2025 budget, marking a significant increase in investment for infrastructure and development in these sectors. Finance Minister Ashni Singh made this announcement during his budget presentation at the Arthur Chung Conference Center on Friday.

Singh highlighted that the housing ministry’s budget increased to 41.6% from 2020 to 2024. In the housing sector, a total of $112.6 billion has been allocated to continue ongoing development projects. Minister Singh highlighted the transformative work in housing, with new residential communities being developed on previously unused lands. Notable areas such as Diamond, La Parfaite Harmonie, and others, have been successfully converted into thriving neighbourhoods. He said since the revitalisation of housing programmes in 2020, government has made significant progress, developing 85 new and upgraded housing areas, including Amelia’s Ward, Bel Air Park, and Charity. “The entire housing sector has been revitalised, the dream of home ownership is once again an attainable reality for all Guyanese families. Key initiatives include: Development of 85 new and existing housing areas inclusive of Amelia’s Ward, Balthyock, Belle West, Charity, Cummings Lodge, De Endragt, La Bonne Intention, Lethem, Leonora, No. 75 & 79 Villages, Sheildstown, Success, Williamsburg and York,” Singh stated.  Over 40,000 house lots have been allocated across these regions, and more than 2,000 homes have been constructed through targeted programs.  Singh emphasised that the government has also removed VAT (value added tax) on locally produced building materials to reduce costs and implemented measures to make home ownership more accessible, such as increasing the ceiling for low-income mortgages.

In 2024, Singh noted that the government increased the housing loan ceiling to $30 million, making home ownership more attainable for a broader range of Guyanese families. These are the initiatives that helped to bring home ownership within the reach to every single Guyanese family.

With the sum of $78.5 billion expended in 2024, looking forward in 2025 Minister Singh emphasized upcoming plans to further develop the sector. “We further allocate $112.6 billion for 2025 to continue development of new and existing housing areas, allocation of additional 25,000 house lots which will result in surpassing the 50,000 Manifesto promise, distribution of another 10,000 land titles and transports, and construction of 1,000 more homes,” Singh stated.

Water sector

The water sector has also seen improvements, with the government investing in both infrastructure and services to ensure better access. In 2024, over 22,000 people benefited from the drilling of new wells, and access to water in the hinterland regions rose dramatically from 46% in 2020 to 91% in 2024, due to the drilling of 130 wells.

Looking forward to 2025, the government has earmarked $23.1 billion for the water sector, including $2.2 billion for new water supply systems in hinterland communities. In addition, the construction of 30 new water treatment plants is underway to further improve water quality and availability. A budget of $10 billion has been allocated for water quality initiatives, ensuring clean and safe water for all. “In 2025, ongoing works on wells at Sophia and Timehri are scheduled to be completed and works on new wells will commence at No. 47 and 58 Villages while ongoing works on T&D mains at areas including Bachelors Adventure, Cummingsburg, Friendship, Mon Repos, Pouderoyen and Timehri are scheduled to be completed,” Singh stated.

Additionally, in 2025, works will commence on wells in several areas including Baramita, Eyelash, Issano, Itabali, Kabakaburi and Red Hill, with the completion of works on water distribution systems at Caria Caria, Hobodiah, Monkey Mountain, St. Anselm and Tassawini. New water supply systems are also slated for Arsawa, Barabina, Kangaruma, Karrau, Pennak, Phillipai, Thomas Hill and Tobago Hill for which a total sum of $2.2 billion has been allocated in 2025.

The government is also launching an ambitious initiative to tackle the country’s solid waste management challenges. In 2025, $13.2 billion has been allocated for upgrades to recycling centers, the establishment of new sanitary landfills in regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10, and continued upgrades to existing sites in Port Kaituma, and other areas. The government will also procure and distribute waste management equipment, including compactors, compactor machines, trucks, and bins, strategically located throughout communities to support the national waste management effort.

With a combined budget of $148.9 billion for housing, water, and sanitation in 2025, finance minister emphasized that these investments are expected to have a significant impact on quality of life, particularly in rural and hinterland areas, and further contribute to the country’s sustainable development.

($148.9B to boost housing, water, and sanitation)

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• Ashni Singh, budget 2025, housing

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