February 28, 2022
The Ministry of Housing’s CH&PA has issued an invitation for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for housing developments on the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara, even as sources revealed that over 4,000 hectares of the former East Demerara Estate’s plantation lands have been assigned to the ministry.
“The government of Guyana is expanding its housing programme on the East Bank/East Coast Demerara corridor. The development approach to this housing programme involves and encompasses Government, Public /Private Partnerships / Private Developers,” the notice stated.
The Ministry of Housing did not say where the lands are located but said that “the area comprises underdeveloped lands along the East Bank-East Coast corridors” and that they are in “good location in relation to the urban centre (Georgetown), that it was “generally flat, articulation of the integrated road transport network, adequate varied residential mix, satisfaction of national housing demand; lends itself to integration with existing communities, sustainable community development-social, economic and environmental sustainability.”
Further information on the project can be seen on the location plan at Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) by interested developers on March 15th 2022. The prospective developers are expected to be at the ministry by 9:30am on the said day.
To be eligible requires either an individual developer, group of developers or company or consortium, but construction is expected to commence within six months of an agreement and must be completed within two years after the project commences.
“Interested parties must be able to achieve the quality of development, construction and management of the project within the stipulated timeline,” the ministry stated.
While it is unclear where the lands on the East Bank are located, sources told Stabroek News that GuySuCo’s assets of former East Demerara Estate (EDE) lands have been assigned to CH&PA by government.
Lands at La Bonne Intention and Success have been given to make up over 4,000 hectares from the total 8,525 hectares of land that comprises the EDE. “More than half was given by (state holding company) NICIL to the Ministry of Housing”, according to the source.
Government is yet to announce where the lands for development would be and calls to both Minister of Housing Collin Croal and Minister in the ministry, Susan Rodrigues went unanswered yesterday.
In addition, there has been no official word from the government or GuySuCo on the reopening plans of the EDE and whether it will be engaged in sugar production.
Sources have told this newspaper that sugar estate lands will be converted into housing and business development ventures as government has ruled out sugar production within the area.
Agro-industrial
Already, plans are forging ahead for the EDE sugar packaging plant to be converted into an agro-industrial area and lands there are being set aside for housing and other purposes.
In this year’s Budget, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh said that $12.4 billion has been allocated for the further development of the sector.
He said that the allocation would continue infrastructure works in housing areas and includes upgrading of 45.5 km of roads in 31 existing housing schemes in all of the regions except 7 and 8. Additionally, the allocation is intended for the construction of drains, structures and the installation of LED street lamps in the various housing settlements.
“Additionally, Government aims to complete the construction of the electricity distribution networks in the existing housing areas, and also to complete the procurement of electrical hardware for new housing areas,” he said.
In relation to the government’s campaign promise of 50,000 house lots by 2025, Singh reported that the administration is well on its way to achieving that target through its ‘Dreams Realised” housing initiative. Since taking office in August of 2020, according to Singh, the government has been able to allocate 10,063 house lots and in 2021 the CH&PA distributed 1,266 land titles and transports.
The housing entity is aiming to distribute 6,000 land titles and transports for this year.
“The PPP/C government gave its commitment to provide affordable housing to the People of Guyana. We are duty-bound to meet that promise and we will deliver on that promise. To meet this obligation, we are working on several tracks. On the one hand, we have been making serviced house lots available for allocation, targeting young professionals, individuals with immediate needs, persons who have disposable income to commence construction, and plots for private housing developers,” Singh said.
“At the same time, we have been developing affordable housing stock for first-time middle and low-income homeowners. These include one and two-bedroom flat and elevated properties in numerous housing schemes nationwide. In addition, we have negotiated successfully with our commercial banks to reduce the mortgage interest rates to the lowest level ever seen in the history of the country and we have also taken bold steps to keep building material costs as low as possible,” he iterated.