-after story appeared in Stabroek News
By Shabna Rahman
What started off as a tragedy for Ganeshram Sahobia, when his shack collapsed, would soon change his life forever, as he is about to realise his dreams of acquiring a new home for his family.
On Christmas morning, about 2 o’clock, Sahobia, 50, received a call that heavy winds had knocked down his humble home, located on the government reserve at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
His story was published in Stabroek News’ online edition two days later. In the article, he pleaded with the authorities to grant him the house lot that he had applied for. That same morning, as he was leaving for work, he received another phone call.
This time it was with good news and Sahobia, a single father of three, immediately felt his life changing for the better. The call was from the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) and he was told that he should go there right away.
He was given an offer to pay off $300,000 for a plot of land within two weeks, after which he would be approved for a $5.2 million turnkey home.
These homes are located a village away, at Leonora, WCD. Even though the cost seemed steep, Sahobia accepted because he did not want to miss the opportunity.
He would ask relatives to assist him with paying off for the land. Once that is done, he’ll be able to get a loan from the bank to pay for the house.
He would then have to pay a monthly mortgage of $20,000. He is willing to work harder to make it happen “because I want to own something I never had…”
Up to yesterday he and his children were still trying to clean and renovate the shack so it can be comfortable to stay in for now.
It had fallen on one side due to heavy winds. As a result, his beams in the house, as well as his refrigerator and television, were damaged.
His nephew, Videsh, 30, and his brother, Bharat, 63, were in the house, sleeping. Videsh was awoken when the wardrobe crashed down on the bed and hurt his foot.
Bharat felt the house shaking and heard loud crashing sounds. They tried to run to safety but noticed that the stairs were broken.
Sahobia has occupied the reserve for several years and badly wants to move. During heavy rainfall, they “would get wet in the house.” He had applied for his house lot and was interviewed in 2022.
He subsequently received a letter from the CH&PA that he had qualified for a low-income house lot.
The letter also stated that the CH&PA “will communicate with you at a later date, the area available for allocation and the cost of the land.” In the meantime, he was told regarding the reserve, “don’t build (renovate), don’t bruk until they give consent.”
Sahobia and his 14-year-old son and his two daughters; ages 10 and 12 had gone to a ‘wake house’ for another nephew who was murdered, on the East Bank of Demerara, when disaster struck.
With the help of his brother and kind neighbours, they tried to “strap the house to bring it down flat before it break more.”
After that, the back of the house was still tilted on one side. Sahobia decided to knock up a little house on the reserve because he could not afford to pay his rent.
“That time I used to work at sea and sometimes you get blows and sometimes you get a good catch. If you nah pay the rent in time, they (landlords) does want raise the rent and when you can’t pay, they put you out,” he pointed out.
He lamented that he does not want to continue squatting on the reserve and for another tragedy to occur.
He wants a better life for his children and the only way to do that is to get his house lot and move out.
When he spoke to this newspaper yesterday, he was smiling brightly, relieved that he is a few steps closer making his dreams a reality.