The Ministry of Communities through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is now offering a ‘50/50’ special payment option to recipients of government house lots valued $3 million and less, in residential areas.
This disclosure was made yesterday during a press conference in the boardroom of the CH&PA by Junior Minister Valerie Patterson who has special responsibility for the housing sector.
Patterson stated that this initiative has been undertaken to coincide with Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary and allows for persons who have completed paying 50% of the cost of their house lots by May 1, to benefit from a 50% discount on the balance. However, Patterson explained, the balance must be paid by the end of May.
“If you have an allocation for a house lot that cost $1 million, and by the first of May, you would have paid $500,000 which is 50%, then you have a 50% discount on the balance of the $500,00. So you now have a discount of $250,000,” she explained while adding that persons have from now until April 30, to complete the 50% payment of their allocations to qualify.
Patterson stressed that only those who would have acquired house lots in residential areas that are valued $3 million and less would be eligible. Therefore, those with allocations in re-migrant schemes or industrial areas would not be eligible.
However, this would not exclude individuals who would have benefited from the turn-key home initiative in areas such as Perseverance on the East Bank Demerara. The minister explained that while both the house and land come at a combined cost of $4.9 million, the land in itself is valued $500,000. As a result, persons with the turn-key houses would also be able to qualify for the 50% discount on the land alone.
In addition to the already generous payment option, Patterson also highlighted the ministry’s plan to pay out $15 million in subsidies to 50 lucky Guyanese for the purpose of home improvement. This too, is to be undertaken for the commemoration of Guyana’s golden jubilee.
The minister explained that 50 persons across the country will receive $300,000 from the Ministry of Communities towards making home improvements.
She noted that for individuals to be eligible for these grants, they must hold residence in one of the government’s housing schemes, while adding that those who qualify will be randomly selected during a public exercise in each region. Dates have not yet been set for these activities.
According to the minister, four persons each will be given subsidies in Regions One, Two, Five, Seven and Nine, whilst six persons will benefit in Region Three. A total of 14 subsidies will be distributed in Region Four whilst five each will be handed out in Regions Six and Ten.
On a different note, Patterson said that while there are currently little or no available house lots in some regions of the country, the government is working assiduously to develop the necessary infrastructure that would allow for more land becoming available to people of no or low affordability.
She highlighted plans to have further infrastructure work carried out in Linden, Bartica and the East Bank Demerara to make this possible, before alluding to plans to develop 2,000 house lots in Linden.
Offering some insight into this project, Patterson revealed that she had been engaged in discussions with a Guyanese housing developer residing in Atlanta, Georgia, United States to implement this plan.
She said they have already identified land in Linden that can accommodate the 2,000 house lots and are currently negotiating with regard to low cost and middle-income houses, with additional expressions of interest being shown by the developer for the development of a housing scheme for professionals.
The intention, she said, is to have CH&PA complete the infrastructure inclusive of roads, water and light, whilst the developer constructs the houses.
