As part of government’s commitment to provide every Guyanese family with access to homeownership and so raise the level of standard of living, the Ministry of Housing and Water is formulating a comprehensive national housing policy.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, made the disclosure at the Minis-try’s end-of- year press conference yesterday, a Department of Public Information (DPI) release stated.
“This is to ensure that we can raise the level of standard of living for our people. That housing policy, as I speak, is to ensure that persons are able to have safe, affordable and adequate housing in various communities that are serviced by the relevant infrastructure. That is what we want to achieve.”
Croal also disclosed that a consultant is currently drafting a new housing policy. The document is expected to be submitted to the Ministry next week, after which it will be presented to Cabinet for approval.“Once we have that approval to move onwards to the national level, it will be adopted at the parliamentary level,” he added.
According to the release, the comprehensive housing policy includes a review of existing programmes, policies, and processes implemented by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA). Stakeholder consultation has already been conducted, with feedback and needs assessments being compiled to shape the policy.
Further, the government is also working on another key initiative ─ the Strategy for Informal Settlement, Upgrading and Prevention, an initiative which seeks to advance regularisation exercises and curb squatting countrywide.
The first phase of this plan has been completed and will be presented to cabinet this month. It involves a 100 per cent analysis with plans to pilot the strategy in Region Three before expanding to other regions.
A consultant is collaborating with the Ministry to finalise this policy, the release added.
Water
Minister within the Ministry of Housing Susan Rodrigues, providing an update on the water sector noted the instillation of 70,000 new meters to customers over the past 4 years.
She also highlighted the re-established National Water Council which consists of representatives from the NDIA, from the EPA, GWI, HydroMet, the private sector, and includes a water management specialist. These persons are expected to work on a national water policy and make recommendations on how the country’s water resources can be rationalized through a more integrated water resource management framework.
She stated that the proportion of population with access to reliable supply of potable water is 98.3%, and with regards to increasing access to potable water supply to unserved communities, in 2024, some 2,800 residents gained access to potable water supply under the Unserved Areas Program-me, which she stated means that the government is on track to ensuring that 90% treated water coverage is delivered to the coastline by the end of 2025.
Additionally, a contract has been signed for the development five large water treatment plants funded by the Caribbean Development Bank.