Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal on Sunday, announced that his Ministry will commence the allocation of some 5,000 house lots along the East Coast of Demerara this week.
The Minister was speaking at the opening of a $300 million hardware complex at Estate Road, Enmore, ECD.
Over the past 18 months, government has been accelerating its massive housing drive as endeavouring to deliver on its manifesto promise of providing 50,000 house lots to Guyanese by the year 2025.
On the East Coast alone, Minister Croal said the government allocated close to 4,750 house lots. Allocations were made at La Bonne Intention, Mon Repos, La Reconnaissance, Annandale, Vigilance, Strathspey, and Bladen Hall.
Additionally, he said the ministry is acquiring lands for new housing developments from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and the Guyana Sugar Incorporated (GuySuCo) to meet the housing demands in Region Four.
“The infrastructure work that is required to ensure that we are able to develop these new areas will cause billions of dollars,” Minister Croal noted.
The Housing Minister said the construction sector is expected to grow by a further 10.2% this year. He credited the continued growth in the construction sector to the government’s national housing drive, as well as other major investments by the private sector.
Minister Croal pointed out that the demand for construction materials and hardware will continue to increase and therefore, the opening of a new hardware store in Enmore is timely, as it will help to meet the demand on the ECD.
“We welcome these kinds of investments. We support it and you can count on us as a government and as a ministry…for any help that we can provide to help you grow even more,” he said.
The Minister also spoke about some of the infrastructural development being undertaken along the east coast corridor to complement the massive housing development.
He said by the end of the year, government will spend an additional $15 billion to upgrade and expand community roads.
“We still have hundreds of roads more to get done and our streets within communities…it is a commitment by President, Irfaan Ali that all community streets will be upgraded the asphaltic concrete or rigid surface concrete,” he told the gathering.
Further, works has commenced on the Ogle, ECD and Eccles, East Bank Demerara Road. The government has also announced plans to upgrade the railway embankment, into a four-lane road to help counter growing traffic woes. new Ogle to Eccles. [Extracted and Modified from DPI]
