To thunderous applause, President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced in Lethem, Region Nine, that 600 of its residents who have been allotted house lots, will each be given $1 million to facilitate the construction of their homes.
The Head of State who was on an outreach in the company of members of his government, announced to the elated gathering at the Tabatinga Sports Ground that the $600 million investment which took immediate effect, was being made by “your government,” through “direct transfer.”
Dubbing it the first such measure to be announced by a government anywhere in the world, Ali to even more lusty rounds of applause in his two-part announcement said that the beneficiaries will be required to repay their mortgage at only 3.5% interest which he said was the “lowest in the country.”
Ali explained that the grant will facilitate the construction of a $3 million house which he said represents the cost of the houses being construed in the Region; adding that his government has been able to arrive at a special mortgage agreement with GBTI and NBS.
Without any collateral or even a job letter, Ali said that those two institutions have agreed to finance the remaining two million dollars at 3.5% interest which he said will amount to a mortgage of just about $14,000 per month.
“This is just a start…don’t worry…more is coming…more will come,” Ali promised as he competed with the lusty applause; before going on to add, “We told you that you will benefit from the revenues of this country, when some said that you must not be part of it. You will benefit,” Ali then asserted.
“You are now empowered. The government has empowered you,” the President told the visibly pleased crowd to whom he said the net asset value of Guyanese is increasing; explaining to them that what that meant was that their value would have automatically increased.
To the attentive gathering he said beneficiaries would be able to refinance their property and land and get additional money to start up a small business. “That is the real power of this investment,” Ali said.
“Today you have an opportunity like never before. The power of owning your own homes and turning your own key is enormous,” he told them.
Ali boasted that the initiative is a commitment of his government to making home ownership easier; declaring that it was beyond the promise made by the now-ruling PPP/C party in its manifesto on the campaign trail two years ago.
He told residents that in keeping with “your government’s commitment to uplifting your lives, businesses in their communities will benefit; even as jobs will be created in the construction field”.
On this point Ali, to more praise from the crowd said that one of the attached conditions is that all the material and labour must be procured right in Region Nine, while noting the billions in investments which are set for Lethem.
Ali told the gathering that they will also profit from the initiative where in building a low-income home or a young professional home, they will benefit from the cement and the steel that government has committed to giving.
Paved
The President then went on to announce his government’s investment of what he said was close to some $600 million, aimed at ensuring that all the roads in Lethem are paved, a commitment he said that will be realized.
Against this background Ali said that there will be a “proper road link to Georgetown,” while stating that his government has already awarded the first phase of that contract—the Linden to Mabura Hill—which he said will be a paved highway.
He added that the opportunities which will open up will be enormous, stating that award has already been made for the construction of all the bridges up to Lethem.
They will be built with concrete to international standards. That is because we care about your safety and opening up new opportunities and creating a pathway through which you can benefit from greater and more expansive development,” Ali said.
The Head of State also promised “massive” investment for Region Nine in food production, stating that what the world has been taught from the pandemic, global food crisis, and rising cost of living “is that we must produce more within our communities.”
He said that his government is committed to working with all the communities in developing plans and programmes to ensure improved food-production capacity.
Ali then went on to tell the gathering that at the end of the National Toshaos Conference, government committed itself to three billion dollars for the improvement of Amerindian communities.
“These are the types of investments we are making to uplift your lives which will make a difference,” he said.
He said that efforts will be directed at improving the conditions under which newer, better-paid jobs are created in the region; not only in the public sector, but the private sector as well, to advance industrial and commercial development into Lethem.
“I was in Boa Vista, Brazil recently discussing means through which we can integrate better, so that your lives can be made easier…so that more opportunities can come to you,” Ali told his audience.
Commenting on the number of young people who he said were in attendance—especially women—the President said he was pleased.
He added that the necessary investment will be made in ensuring that all children have access to secondary education, and for all children in Lethem to also benefit from government’s GOAL Scholarships; even as efforts are made at ensuring efficient access to the internet.
He said, also, that there is collaboration with the Ministry of Health to ensure that all persons with the minimum qualifications in the entire region who have aspirations of entering the health care system, are provided the necessary resources for training to take up associated jobs right in the region.
“We want the people of the region to benefit from opportunities right here.”
The Head of State in his impassioned address said that the Ministry of Education is also currently working on a programme through which every teacher in every hinterland region across the country, must have access to training.”
He said that notwithstanding the APNU+AFC’s criticisms of the temporary jobs currently being created across this country, Region Nine will benefit from some 2,000.
“$40,000 in the pockets of those persons. Multiply that by 2,000 and see what is the impact on the communities,” Ali urged; while stating that in the coming weeks the Vice President will be in the region to launch that programme.
Ali assured residents that his government will be creating the necessary environment to ensure that their lives are improved and that there are proper investments in water, electricity, infrastructure, housing and health care; to ensure that the services being offered are comparable to those enjoyed on the coast.
According to the President, over the last couple of weeks he requested his ministers to visit the region to engage the people and listen to their concerns, and that his visit was in response thereto.
