60 houses to be constructed at Amelia’s Ward – Housing Minister

…60 more for Wisroc

Minister with responsibility for central housing and planning, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood has noted that steps are presently being put in place to facilitate the construction of 60 homes at Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The Minister made the disclosure over the weekend while also announcing that a huge portion of land is presently being cleared at Phase 3, Amelia’s Ward in this regard. Another 60 homes are also expected to be constructed at Wisroc, Wismar, Linden, and according to the Minister, if all goes well, at least 90 homes may soon be completed.
“As soon as that land clearing (at Amelia’s Ward) is finished, we’re going to put some internal roads in and we’re going to start – we’re building 60 houses on that plot of land. Thirty of them would be flat, two-bedroom concrete houses. Flat, like three feet off the ground and 30 will be the ones built on stilts which give you the option to enclose the bottom,” the Minister said.
She added that two outreaches will be held on September 21 and 22 at both Wismar and Mackenzie to facilitate enrollment of persons desirous of acquiring these homes, while she explained that letters will be given on the spot.
“On spot we’ll give you a letter because it has to go through the bank. We’ll give you the letter to go to the bank. If the bank qualifies you, what I’m doing I’m not waiting for the house to done build and then qualify people… Like every five (houses) that finish building, you move in…”, the Minister added.
The Minister stressed that access to the land has presented some difficulty. Nevertheless, Patterson-Yearwood said she has since received word from Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira that plans are moving apace in this regard.
“By the middle of next month (September), we should be able to have access and start doing work and I’m hopeful that at least half of that amount we can finish by Christmas. So if we can do that, it’s ninety people moving in homes,” she said. Patterson-Yearwood said similar work is presently being conducted at Perseverance, East Bank of Demerara, in relation to turnkey houses. The Minister said that 20 three-bedroom houses and roads are being constructed to facilitate 40 duplex concrete houses.
“Immediately after that, we’re doing the roads behind that in Perseverance too, where we’re going to do some of the same houses that we’re doing in Linden, we’re doing 173 houses there. So we hope by December we can finish 50 of those along with the forty duplexes”.
She further added that other areas to benefit include New Amsterdam and Onderneeming.