August 30 ,2021
Dear Editor,
I note a release published by the Department of Public Information on August 15, 2021, in which the regime is seeking to accredit the “Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme,” as their initiative through the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Central Housing and Planning Authority. I wish to publicly state that this is nothing further from the truth.
I wish to set the record straight as it relates to this programme.
The IDB and the PPP/C government in 2012 signed a loan agreement, number 274 1/BL-GY on June 21, 2012 for a sum of US$66.2M. There were several components to the programme which include the Sheriff/Mandela rehabilitation at a cost of US$42M, the East Bank Berbice road project for US$8M and the remaining balance to be utilized to fund studies for the Wismar Bridge in the Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice Region. This was subsequently removed from the IDB portfolio and funding was secured under the Caribbean Development Bank.
From the inception, this project was marred with massive fraud and corruption, which caused the IDB to threaten to pull its entire portfolio from Guyana. When the coalition took office, the project was revisited, reviewed, and continued.
The Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility programme was not initially part of the loan component of the IDB. Notwithstanding, the loan was made possible because of the Coalition government’s policy to address the housing needs and making housing accessible and affordable to citizens. The total sum secured from the loan to undertake the project is US$34.5M. I must point out that this programme commenced under the then Ministry of Communities, with the department of Central Housing and Planning Authority being the executing agency acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana.
Additionally, Editor, the following boundaries have been identified for the project, since they are within the Sheriff-Mandela Road rehabilitation: Georgetown to Grove on the East Bank of Demerara up to La Bonne Intention (LBI) on the East Coast and specific areas in La Parfaite Housing Development (Westminster, Onderneeming, Lust-en-Rust, Recht-Dor-Zee, Parfaite Harmonie, Phase 2. Note, all areas developed by Central Housing and Planning Authority. These communities cater for persons to benefit from “Core Home Support.” Meanwhile All Low-Income Housing areas within the project boundary from Georgetown to Grove on the East Bank of Demerara up to La Bonne Intention (LBI) on the East Coast and specific housing areas in La Parfaite Housing Development (Westminster, Onderneeming, Lust-en-Rust, Recht-Dor-Zee, Parfait Harmony, Phase 2, will benefit from a “Home Improvement Subsidy.”
Core Home Support: This allows for a one-storey concrete building measuring 20’ x 20’ with an elevation 3ft from ground level, complete with front and back stairs, louvre windows, electrical wiring and plumbing, including two bedrooms, toilet and bath, septic tank and a basic kitchen sink.
Home Improvement Subsidy: This project is to effect improvement works to existing residential buildings occupied by Low-Income households at a cost of $500,000.00. With this project, beneficiaries provide all the labour to effect the improvement works.
In 2019, the sum of US$7.5M was expended to upgrade approximately 12 km of asphaltic and concrete roads, including upgrade of the Community ground in section C, Sophia and verification exercises commenced in La Parfaite Harmonie for subsidies and Core Homes.
I wish to place on record that the Central Housing and Planning Authority staff under the leadership of the Coalition Government worked beyond the call of duty to ensure that all preliminaries were done, and potential beneficiaries were coached and guided accordingly to benefit from the programme.
Editor, it has been one year since the regime is in office and it is yet to produce to the Guyanese people their plan for the housing sector. What we continue to see is the government taking credit for the coalition’s work. I have absolutely no difficulty in the regime forging ahead with projects or programmes they have inherited from the Coalition government, but I do believe that Guyanese should be reminded that these projects and programmes will continue, in the interest of our people and by extension the country.
Editor, in concluding permit me to share and remind Guyanese of the Coalition’s plan for “Guyana’s decade of development, overcoming crime, disease, ignorance and poverty.” In this plan, the Coalition highlighted its policy on housing between the period 2020-2029, “a roof over every head.” That is, every citizen should enjoy the right to housing. Every home, in turn, should belong to a community in which our citizens can enjoy good health, fresh air and clean water; where they walk the streets free from molestation, benefit from good roads, streetlights and pavements and where their children have access to a sound education and facilities for play and recreation. The PPP/C regime has no plan nor vision for the housing sector!
I do hope that those persons who were identified as potential beneficiaries for the projects are not discriminated against and that they are treated fairly and justly.
Yours in service,
Ms. Annette Ferguson
Member of Parliament- APNU+AFC