Providence turnkey homeowners grateful for their houses
…but very uncomfortable without water
Residents of the new turnkey homes built in Perseverance, aback of Providence, East Bank Demerara, while grateful for their homes, are complaining about the non availability of water in their new scheme.
The government, in collaboration with the (Mortgage lenders) New Building Society (NBS), had developed the new housing scheme in Perseverance located about two miles east of the National Stadium for low and middle income workers who were interested in owning their own homes.
Some of the completed low income turnkey homes that are without water.
Of the more than 100 homes that were recently completed, no more than a dozen persons were found living there. According to one of the residents, he moved there over two months ago. Since then, he has applied for electricity and water. After going through a long process he was able to get electricity in his home, but no water.
He said that he was told that sometime next year he would be receiving water since the company could not source the water from the Mocha Well located in the next village. He said that he was told by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) that a new well has to be established for the homeowners in Perseverance.
Another resident said that the lack of water is proving to be taxing for her family. She said that she was told that these turnkey homes would be provided with water and electricity. Her neighbour just across the road said that she has to pay $5000 per week for a 500-gallon black tank of water, which she said is hard on her since she has her mortgage to pay to the bank, her monthly expenses and children to provide for.
The residents said that added to the lack of water, the infrastructural work done on the building has been substandard. One resident said that the bathroom pipes that were cast within the walls have begun to leak and certain parts of the buildings were cracking.
Another resident showed this reporter the cracks around his patio that the contractors had rectified but which has begun to crack again in similar places. Other home owners shared the same story.
One person said that different contractors were hired to build these turnkey homes, so some of them would be of poor quality while others would be well made. He said that there should’ve been greater quality assurance by contractors and checks by independent persons to ensure that all the homes made would be of high quality.
One avenue for reprieve that these new home owners have is that they have been provided with a one year warranty that secures them against substandard works.
The residents are calling on the respective authorities to expedite the process of building the well in their village so that they could have water.
A resident exclaimed that had there been water available the scheme would have been full and thriving by now.
Persons are reluctant to move in because of the non availability of water which is essential to proper living.
