A huge backlog of housing-related matters were dealt with on the spot during Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues’ outreach on Friday at the Anna Regina Town Council building in Region Two.
The two-day outreach was a follow-up to a visit made by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Rodrigues had accompanied Jagdeo during his visit and at several outreaches, many persons had complained of having housing issues.
The minister’s team consisted of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Andre Ally; Director of Operations, Denise King-Tudor; Legal Officer Hannifah Jordan; and other senior officers of the ministry.
At the official opening of the two-day outreach, Rodrigues declared that she came to “work” and to get issues resolved on the spot. She noted that in getting ready for the two-day outreach, strategic planning was done to ensure that most of the issues could be dealt with.
“Most of you have had long outstanding issues in this region, from the time we came in office we have been accumulating these issues here in Region Two, but today’s outreach is a direct follow-up to [the] Vice President. I committed to him and everyone at that time that I would return,” the minister said.
Rodrigues told the gathering that it was an outreach with a difference, alluding to the fact that surveyors were in the region conducting physical verifications. She added that preliminary works were done so that on the spot decisions could be made.
“From allocation to signing up to the agreement of sales, to signing up to certificate of title, we have on ground here unlike the other outreaches, so we have all the officers that have to execute your document is here. It’s like a one-stop-shop – that is why we did so much work before so we can plan and execute.”
The minister disclosed that the regional housing office has been overwhelmed with complex housing issues that required interventions and she gave assurances that this will be done.
During the outreach, persons used the opportunity to sign up for the processing of title/transport, agreements of sale, querying of boundary issues, and updating of existing applications.
Some interviewees related they had issues over 15 years that were not resolved. They added that they were waiting for calls that never came. Some persons said they learnt of the outreach and therefore showed up.
“I am renting. It’s so hard. I did pay out for my land and didn’t even get an allocation. I am struggling and I need it to fix,” Odetta Roach, who was among them, said.
Another person said that she is living on a plot of land for over 15 years and she had not receive any document yet.
Herald Alves said that he visited with the intention of getting title for his land at Onderneeming. He said that he has been living on the land and would like his title.
“We glad for the outreach, I had an application in the system and I didn’t even hear back so I just came to check on it,” Amit Ally said.
