Gov’t takes housing drive to Bartica

– more than 400 house lots allocated

By Michael Younge

More than 400 Guyanese residing at Bartica, Region Seven, were allocated low and middle income house lots at the spanking new Five Miles Housing Scheme being constructed by government on Saturday.
The investment in the provision of these house lots amount to Gy$252 million and will result in some 1484 residents benefiting directly.
Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali addressing hundreds of residents at the ministry’s fifth “One Stop Shop”, which was held under the theme “Building equity and empowering people”, said that the administration is working assiduously towards meeting the rising demand for housing across the mineral rich Region Seven.
He said that government was happy to bring affordable housing to Barticians, whom he noted, deserved no less. The housing minister explained that his ministry, along with the Central Housing and Planning Authority, has received a total of 800 applications from residents, who have an interest in owning their own homes.
“You can rest assured that this is not the end of the housing investment and drive in this region as this is just one step in ensuring that we meet the total demand,” Ali related to a packed audience.
The minister reiterated his commitment towards witnessing the overall transformation of the lives of residents in the mining community, which is considered the gateway to the interior, pointing out that “his government recognises that its role is to serve the people and create positive social and economic change”.
Inclusive policy
Ali also announced that dialogue with stakeholders and officials of the Regional Democratic Council was moving apace to ensure that another 400 persons were offered the opportunity to own their own homes as well.
“No one will be excluded from the process,” he noted, as he signalled moves by his ministry to formulate a community development plan, prioritising the needs of its intended residents.
He alluded to the fact, that already, major tourism proposals were being made by investors, which altogether aim at providing more employment opportunities for residents while establishing alternative forms of business in the region.
Meanwhile, Central Housing and Planning Authority Chief Executive Officer Myrna Pitt underscored the fact that “homeownership enables and empowers the individual to reap social and economic benefits.”
“Housing is also an economically productive asset when used to generate income… beneficiaries of government housing programme now have access to an asset which allows them to start to build a family,” she noted.
Beneficiaries overjoyed
A retired Guyana Electricity Corporation worker, who is now visually-impaired, was among the hundreds that were allocated lots on Saturday. “If it wasn’t for the PPP/C, I don’t know what would have happened to me because I waited so long to own my own home. The other administration (PNC/R) was so blind and they didn’t allocate land to us in Bartica readily. I am proud of the PPP…” 57-year-old Alfred Whyte told Guyana Times International.
Cianna Persaud, who is also a lead personality in Bartica, begun the process to become a new homeowner too at the One Stop Shop. “The process was good… It’s really nice to hear that they came to Bartica despite the rumours we were hearing,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford was not exempt from the process, and he too welcomed the government’s housing drive in the region and the move to empower Barticians through the provision of affordable housing.