Eighty-five applicants pulled their lot numbers for plots at Zeelugt, Phase Two, East Bank Essequibo when the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) hosted the second One Stop Shop for the year for single parents and low income earners on Monday.
The exercise was held in the compound of the Housing Ministry where applicants selected their house lots, made their payments and were issued with their allocation letters, a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
The 2013 One Stop Shop exercises, which are held under the theme `Live the Guyanese dream, home ownership made easier’ allows applicants to have their Agreement of Sale made out and make arrangements to access funds to build their homes.
At the start of the session, Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali explained that the previous focus was to consolidate the existing infrastructure in the housing areas to encourage occupancy. As a result, houses were built quickly in several of the new housing schemes. However, electricity supply has been a major challenge and the ministry has worked with the Guyana Power and Light to fast-track the installation of this utility.
On Monday, applications were processed for persons who had applied up to and including 2006. A $90.5M investment was made to ensure that lots were available for 383 persons.
The entire infrastructure has been completed except for the installation of electricity which will be completed early next year at a cost of $5.16M, bringing the total cost of the investment to $95.7M with an average of $1.75M per household. “Total revenue expected to be garnered by Government is $25.5M which means that Government’s subsidy is $70.2M or 73.35%,” the press release said.
6,000 more houselots for 2013
The minister also revealed that plans are in train for eight more One Stop Shop exercises before year-end to distribute 6,000 new additional house lots.
This month one has been planned for Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast and in October one will be held for Zeelugt, Phase 3, Lust-en-Rust and Kilcoy/Chesney. In November, more than 1,000 will be distributed at the Guyana National Stadium for the Covent Garden Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.
Three One Stop Shops will be held in December where lots will be distributed at De Willem and Zeeburg, West Coast Demerara, at Providence Phase 3, and Farm Phase 3 East Bank Demerara.
According to GINA, the housing sector has already spent $649.6M on infrastructural works which contributed significantly to the development of 2,254 new house lots. The ministry distributed 636 house lots, processed 1,540 titles and constructed 48 turnkey houses for young professionals.
In addition, two community development plans have been finalised for Tuschen, Region Three and Ordnance Fort Lands, Region Six.
Also, during the first half of the year, a one-stop shop exercise was successfully held at Enmore, Region Four. Regarding home improvement subsidies, 52 of the targeted 200 subsidies have already been disbursed to eligible families in areas such as Lusignan, Block D Bath, Eliza and Mary and Ankerville, benefitting more than 234 families.
Meanwhile, 34 subsidies were disbursed under the hinterland housing pilot, while another 36 homes have been selected for complete replacement, in areas such as Manawarin, Massara, Kwata-mang, Annai, Whitewater, Oronoque and Katoka. About 490 people are set to benefit.
According to GINA, plans are also in train to provide 800 more lots in Zeelugt Phase 3 to the tune of $700M. In addition, at Zeeburg an investment of $220M will see 300 more new lots being developed. Roadwork upgrades have also been planned for Zeelugt, Zeeburg and Tuschen, benefitting 2,500 people at a cost of $600M.
Other major investments in Region Three for 2013 will see ongoing works in Parfait Harmonie Housing Scheme with development in Lust-en-Rust.
The total cost of investment in those areas is $3B. Additionally, work has been planned, to the tune of $400M for the access road to the housing scheme.
The road is almost 60% completed, the release said. Plans are also in train to upgrade the West Demerara Public road, under a joint initiative by the Government of Guyana and the Caribbean Development Bank.
