Around 1,000 persons were expected to become landowners through the ‘Dream Realised’ Housing Drive, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Georgetown yesterday.
The beneficiaries were being allocated land par-cels at Non Pariel-Phase 2 and Enterprise-Phase 2 on the East Coast of Deme-rara, Region Four.
A release from the Cen-tral Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) said that these two schemes will collectively yield approximately three thousand house lots and will feature designated areas for schools, a police station, commercial activities, and other amenities.
Moreover, the area will also host a Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) water treatment facility and a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) substation. The release said that this area is also strategically positioned to benefit from a connection to the Aubrey Barker Bypass Road.
Earlier, the first batch of allottees selected their house lots, facilitated by Ministers Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues, Perma-nent Secretary, Bishram Kuppen, and Chief Exe-cutive Officer of CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves.
The release said that in 2024, an estimated $18.82 billion dollars will be invested for infrastructure development in various schemes across Region Four, including Non Pariel and Enterprise (Phase 2), Good Hope Block ‘F’ (Phase 1 and 2), Lusignan (Phase 1 and 2), Two Friends (Phase 1 and 2), Good Hope Block ‘E’ (Phase 1 and 2), and La Bonne Intention (Phase 2-Eastern Section).
Other persons were expected to uplift land titles yesterday or to collect vouchers for steel and cement.
Stabroek News spoke to several persons who were called in to receive their land titles and to pay down on their house lot yesterday.
Thirty-eight-year-old Rabendra Willie, who lives with his family in an apartment at Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) related that he received the title for his land at La Bonne Intention. He said he had applied for land since 2008 and he got through in 2021. Yesterday he received the land title. He added that he is really thankful to the government for the land title and was surprised to see so many people coming in to receive their titles. He said that he can now take a loan to get the place in a better state for his family.
“After a long time, this is something great that has happened to me today because it is years since I was running back and forth to get the land. And, we just renting and get put out of people’s place and all sort of things. So, this is just great”, he said.
Michael Solomon, a 67-year-old South Ruimveldt Park resident related that he was getting his title 30 years after he first applied but is still thankful to the government that he has received his certificate for his land at De Endragt on the ECD.
“I have not received my land title since 1992. I have been waiting for my land title ever since. So, you could imagine that 32 years subtracted from when I was 30 and now, I’m 67-year-old. How can I be happy, nobody is going to give me a loan. I’m thankful though to the government because I’m going to pass the title on to my son since at my age, I can’t really do anything on the land. Just to give him to do what he can do…I’m thankful to the government, I don’t have any other choice”, he said.
Farena Declou, 34, related that she and her husband have waited twelve years for their land title and she is very thankful to the government.
She said: “We built a little structure at my mother and my husband and two children are living there, so my husband and I are glad we finally got through with our certificate of land title. I’m really glad I got my own land because if I had to rent, it will be really hard. I can now start building on my land now. I’m thankful to the government for the land title.”
Shermane Miller, a 36-year-old resident of D’Urban street said that she had applied since 2015 for a plot of land and she’s happy she received a call from the Central Housing & Planning Authority last week to come in yesterday to make a down payment for her land.
Ryan Jagnarine, a 27-year-old resident of Coldingen on the East Coast of Demerara said that last week, he received a call from the CH&PA offering him a house lot. He said “I was waiting on my name to call to get a number for my house lot.” He added that for ten years now, he has been trying to get through with a house lot and he was very thankful to receive a call from the CH&PA to pay down for his house lot.
Tamesha Adams, who is currently living in the police quarters related that she applied for her house lot since 2011 and on the radio, she heard that once people had applied to the Housing Ministry since 2015 and earlier, they could go in and carry the acknowledgement letter. She said she did just that to see if she would get through.
She finally received a call from the Housing Ministry on Tuesday informing her to go down to the centre to pay half of her money for a house lot, which she did yesterday.
She added, “So, I already pulled a lot number and the (ministry) showed me where it is. So far, I’m thankful that I got through because I don’t have to pay rent anymore. The next process is to see the lot now. “
Anita McKintyre of East Ruimveldt, a single parent of three who sells fruits and greens to send her children to school said, she applied since 2011 for a house lot and she was glad to visit the centre to get her documentation. She added, “I’m so grateful. Thanks to the president and the entire cabinet. I feel relieved I got through because I’m tired paying rent. “
Up to 1:34 pm yesterday there were still long queues of people waiting in front of the centre or sitting under tents.
