Approximately 2,500 people flocked to the National Stadium yesterday, where the Ministry of Housing (MOH) and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) launched the first of a series of “One Stop Shop” house-lot allocation exercises for the year.
Many of them were hoping to receive a lot in the new housing scheme at Providence, on the East Bank of Demerara, developed at a cost of over $1B.
The development of the scheme saw the completion of more than 30km of roads, the installation of a 30km pure water distribution network, over 100 drainage structures and more than 20 bridges, Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali told prospective land owners at the launch. “The average investment cost per house lot is $1.4m and [we] have 1,075 lots in this scheme,” he said. “The highest cost of a lot in this scheme is $1.2M, so even the highest cost lot is subsidised by $200,000 from the government. The low income lots are subsidised by $1.1M and middle come by $900,000,” he added.
Ali said that more than a year and a half ago, the announcement of plans to develop the East Bank to have 17,000 house lots was viewed with scepticism as it was felt that it was an ambitious task beyond the capabilities of the ministry and the CH&PA. “…But this morning you are testimony to the fact that we have delivered on the task we would have set,” he declared. He added that the government is working to ensure that at the end of the new development on the East Bank, there is a direct link established to the East Coast Demerara.
Ali also hailed the success of the “One Stop Shop” exercises, launched in 2009, saying that they offer the unique opportunity of eased up access, ease of doing business and ensure transparency and accountability.
“We are not afraid to bring our distribution to the open public, where everyone can see the process, can be a part of the process, so when wild accusations are cast and thrown you will be able to dismiss that and understand the context in which they are thrown,” he said.
This year’s exercises are being held under the theme “Building Equity, Empowering People.”
‘Strategic’
Meanwhile, CH&PA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Myrna Pitt said that the housing scheme consists of over 1,000 lots and 15 reserve sites. She added that there will be a fire station, a water treatment plant, a school site and a site for a day care centre along with reserved sites for recreational activities.
“Providence is part of a major new settlement development project that is emerging on the East Bank of Demerara that constitutes an area of land bounded by Agricola by the north, Herstelling to the south, with Eccles, Peters Hall and Providence in the west,” she said, adding that the area provides opportunities of balance to the housing development process by addressing issues such as social services, employment opportunities and public transport in a manner that can provide emerging communities with a strong sense of play and social stability.
“The entire East Bank development vision is a strategic ship to moor holistic community development in an area which can be seen as a part of the new emerging suburb of Georgetown,” she added.
Pitt urged the prospective land owners to ask questions pertaining to their allocations. She also advise them to attend the ministry’s Building Expo, to be held at the stadium next month, so that they can see the wide range of building material available for their construction and information pertaining to building and safety regulations.
The ministry plans to complete phase one of the Remigrants’ Housing Scheme, which will see 480 lots being allocated, and they will also complete Plantation Farm which will have 500 allotted. During the course of the year, it will install a new well at Providence to cater for the housing developments at a cost of $120M. It will also see the continuation of the upgrading of roads at Diamond, at a cost of $70M and the construction of the new Mocha main road, at the cost of $350M.
