Low-income earners to get building materials at wholesale prices

The Housing and Water Ministry and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH& PA) last week signed an agreement with Toolsie Persaud Limited (TPL), a reputable private sector company, to benefit low and moderate income Guyanese. This agreement will see people who fall into the low and moderate income brackets and contractors who are working in partnership with the ministry and the financial institutions in the construction of “turn key” or revolving homes, enjoying wholesale prices on building materials and supplies.

Ordinarily at hardware stores, wholesale prices are only offered if the customer is an established purchaser or is buying in bulk; paying approximately 10-15 per cent less than what retail customers would be paying. However, with this agreement, all qualifying customers and vulnerable groups (elderly, differently-able etc) will be benefitting from wholesale prices.
Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali said that this initiative will have tremendous positive impacts on ordinary Guyanese. “This is an excellent example of the partnership between the housing and private sectors in advancing a product that is sustainable and in ensuring that we develop programmes that would reach every segment of our society,” he said.
He added too, that this initiative is coming at an important point in the construction sector, when international prices are increasing, though moderately. He also spoke of the confidence the private sector and the CH& PA places in each other.
Last year, the ministry launched an initiative in collaboration with private sector organisations in developing programmes that are aimed at bringing greater benefits to land allottees and to ensure that the market pricing mechanism does not pose an additional burden on them in the construction of their homes.
The ministry was able to successfully negotiate an agreement with the Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) whereby a 20 per cent discount is given to every low income allottee at the CH& PA.
TPL’s Commercial Management Director, Kadirullah in his remarks said that his company has always been supportive of various government projects, whether in the construction of roads, sea defence, or housing and water infrastructure.
TPL is currently working on another major initiative, in which they will be expanding their industrial and manufacturing facilities. This would see the creation of hundreds of jobs, especially for people on East Bank Demerara, which is becoming densely populated. This year, the ministry has set itself a target of distributing more than 6000 houselots, and it is confident that this number will be realised.