-500 cases in court
The Housing Ministry has embarked on an exercise to repossess house lots from persons who have been re-allocating their lots and so far 500 cases are before the court, Housing Minister Irfaan Ali said on Monday.
He was speaking during a ‘One Stop Shop’ house lot distribution exercise on Monday at the Guyana National Stadium, at Providence, where 800 house lots were up for allocation in the new Herstelling scheme, East Bank Demerara.
Ali, according to the Government Information Agency (GINA), told those gathered that while some of the land has been re-possessed, the remainder will be done when the decision is made at the level of the court.
He also revealed that another area of focus for the ministry is homeowners who provide false information when applying for a house lot. “This will not be tolerated and at present there are 15 cases where persons have removed themselves from the process, since our announcement to prosecute and forfeit their financing,” he was quoted as saying by GINA.
Ali pointed out that despite limited resources, government is working assiduously to provide Guyanese with housing. To this end, GINA said another batch of 400 house lots will be distributed on December 10, while 600 more will be given out in January next year.
The One Stop Shop, it added, is the seventh such exercise for this year, as the Ministry of Housing and Water works to ensure that Guyanese are afforded an opportunity to own their own homes.
“We are still subsidising lands to a large extent…this particular land was sugar cane lands and as such, much work has been done to bring it up to standard,” Ali said of the Herstelling lots.
He added that the ministry has embarked on a project to complete asphalt and crusher-run roads linking Mocha Arcadia, Providence and Eccles and also reiterated planned construction of a road linking the East Bank with the East Coast.
Meanwhile, several allottees lauded the hassle free process and were thankful for the opportunity to become homeowners.
“I am extremely happy today…. this opportunity which I receive today, of owning my own home is a major step and I am delighted.
I paid a rent for a number of years, but now I can safely kiss my landlord goodbye,” Marsha Baptiste was reported as saying by GINA.
According to Baptiste, this opportunity was one she awaited for a long time and now that it is finally here, she intends to move swiftly in constructing her home.
Barbara Lalchand and Howard Samaroo also lauded the hassle free process. “I think the process was very good… I feel great today receiving my house lot… the service was very professional and fast and so I must thank the government for ensuring that everyone, regardless of their financial status, can afford a land,” Lalchand said.
Donna Isles also expressed her gratitude after benefitting from the exercise. “I feel very blessed to be the owner of a house lot, most of all because I have three children and they will benefit from this opportunity I am afforded now…,” she said.
