Private housing developers given February 2016 deadline

– BK Group slammed for disrespectful absence

A key meeting yesterday between Government and private housing developers over delays along the East Bank Demerara Public Road, yesterday, saw a February 2016 deadline being issued for infrastructural works to be completed. The ultimatum was issued by Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, who is charged with the housing sector. The meeting at the Brickdam offices of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) also saw harsh words coming from the Minister over the absence of the BK Group from the meeting. BK’s principal, Brian Tiwarie, and Chinese-owned, Baishanlin, were both summoned to yesterday’s meeting to explain delays in works on a 100-acre plot of land behind the National Stadium in Providence. The land was sold by CH&PA in 2011 to Sunset Lakes Inc., owned by Tiwarie, to build homes. All the homes and infrastructural works were supposed to be in place within 24 months. However, an inspection on Tuesday found little work being done there. CH&PA also found that BK also may have breached his agreement when he sold the entire 100-acres to Baishanlin. Officials from Baishanlin, a logging company, turned up Tuesday while Minister Scott was moving through the area but they were unable to answer questions. They were instructed to attend a meeting, along with an interpreter and their boss, Chu Hongbo.

Stalled construction at Sunset Lakes (Brian Tiwarie/Baishanlin)

Chu Hongbo indeed turned up for the meeting but there was no representative from BK Group. According to a Government statement yesterday, Minister Scott has set a deadline of February 2016 for developers to complete infrastructural works on their East Bank Demerara plots. Those engaged included representatives from Baishanlin, Courtney Benn Construction, Bradford Enterprises, Dax Construction, Sun Set Lakes and Odinga Lumumba. Scott reportedly expressed his disappointment at the failure of representatives from the BK Group of Companies attending the meeting saying that it showed “great disrespect to the Government. It is the Government of Guyana that speaks on behalf of the people of Guyana and I shall not countenance that from Tiwarie or anybody.” According to Minister Scott, “amicable agreements” were reached with several of the housing developers who explained the reasons for delays in their construction of homes or preliminary infrastructure works. “Commitments were given to ensure that new deadlines to begin works would be met, as were apologies by delinquent representatives,” the Minister revealed. He explained that Government was “not about putting people out of business but to help them along the way, ultimately to the benefit of all Guyanese”. All of those engaged, have given commitments to complete long overdue works. These will include the building of drains, electricity supplies and roads. “Minister Scott said that it is important that revised construction schedules be set and progress maintained, in keeping with the new agreements. “I can safely say that movement has now begun. I will not be satisfied until I can see deliverables.” A reported 16 developers were allocated large plots of lands between Providence and Little Diamond by the previous administration under unclear circumstances. Many of them have found difficulties in developing the plots. There was little activity at Courtney Benn’s land along Mocha Road. Some developers have been selling the lands and not building homes, prompting Scott to wonder whether the allocations were done to allow a few businesses to “speculate”. Under agreements, the developers could be fined 25 percent of the market value of the land if they fail to meet deadlines.