Eleven moderate-income families on Saturday received the keys to their newly constructed units in Cummings Lodge Housing Scheme, Greater Georgetown, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).
After waiting for 11 years, DPI said that Travis Bowman, a young father of one, was happy to receive the keys to his new home from Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues.
Bowman, who currently resides with his parents in Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demarara, said that he applied for a piece of land since 2011, but opted for the government’s turn key homes when he was given the opportunity.
“Being in a position to get both the land and the house will save a lot of time and a lot of running around, so it’s a real nice feeling,” he told DPI.
DPI said that the two-bedroom, elevated moderate-income houses were constructed by the Ministry of Housing’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) as part of the PPP/C Government’s affordable housing programme.
Each unit measures 20 feet by 30 feet (600 square feet). They are sold at a cost $7.5 M. Currently, some 190 homes are being constructed in the scheme and 100 more are set to begin shortly.
Croal said that the development of Cummings Lodge Housing Scheme started in 2014 and no development was done in the area over the five-year tenure of the Coalition.
“In just 18 months in office, and we have already done it, whereby firstly, persons can occupy their new homes and secondly, in a few months persons will start being able to access their lands to build their homes,” the ministry announced.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves said the intention is to make Cummings Lodge into a model housing scheme equipped with all the necessary amenities including, a health centre, schools, recreational facilities, a police outpost and modern, roads, drainage and bridges.
