Street Light Installation in Parfaite Harmonie, $136M in Contracts inked for Construction of Core Homes in Sophia

[from left] Director of Projects, Mr. Omar Narine and Staff, Ms. Kenola
Levans; Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Mr.
Sherwyn Greaves; Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal and representatives
from the contracting services

Some $136 million in contracts under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility
Programme (AHUAP) for the construction of core homes in Sophia, Georgetown and the
installation of street lights at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara has been inked by the
Housing and Water Ministry through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).
The contracts were signed at CH&PA’s boardroom on Monday, in the presence of Housing and
Water Minister, Collin Croal, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andre Ally, Chief Executive Officer of
CH&PA, Mr. Sherwyn Greaves and Director of Projects, Mr. Omar Narine. Minister Croal,
speaking to contractors, said that these projects are important, particularly for the enhancement
of low-income and vulnerable communities and families. He appealed to the contractors to
complete the works to the best standards. “There are persons who are waiting to benefit from this
programme, those persons have been identified already and so I want to urge you to follow all
the guidelines, ensure that you engage our technical staff if you are having difficulties, and to
ensure that we have a timely delivery of this project,” Minister Croal said.
The housing and water minister pointed out his satisfaction at the pace of the AHUAP. He noted
that over the past year more than $600M has been invested in Sophia for infrastructure upgrades,
the construction of a multipurpose facility, and the disbursement of home improvement
subsidies. Minister Croal noted further that approximately $1B in contracts have also been
signed for similar projects in La Parfaite Harmonie. He said that as the agency continues to push
the programme, that capacity building will be ongoing for the Community Development
Department – Special Projects Unit, which has oversight of AHUAP.
Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andre Ally in giving a breakdown of the contracts signed on Monday,
explained that twenty-five (25) core homes will be constructed in Sophia under the Construction
of Core Homes contract. He pointed out that these were awarded to AJM Enterprise.  Ally said
that this contract consists of five lots, with five houses on each lot, at a value of $111,882,800
($22,376,560 each lot).

He further explained that the contract for the Supply and Installation of Solar Integrated LED
Street Lights at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara was awarded to N. Balgobin & Sons
Contracting Services for two lots. Lot One is valued $12,671,360, while Lot Two is $12,530,000.
The PS said that AHUAP is an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded programme,
aimed at improving the quality of life in urban and peri-urban Georgetown through better access
to adequate housing and basic infrastructure for low-income populations, and through improved
accessibility and mobility services. He said that the programme previously encompassed
communities from Georgetown to Grove on the East Bank of Demerara, up to La Bonne
Intention on the East Coast of Demerara and Westminster, Onderneeming, Recht-Door-Zee, Lust
en Rust, and Parfaite Harmonie Phase II on the West Bank of Demerara. The Ministry recently
expanded the boundary to include nineteen communities on the East Coast of Demerara,
stretching the boundary to Victoria. Similar works will commence in these areas, as the
programme continues.