Government to spend $4B on infrastructure in new East Coast housing areas

Minister of Housing Collin Croal and Attorney General and
Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall

SOME $4.4B will be spent this year on developing infrastructure in communities on the East
Coast Demerara where house lots were distributed Housing Minister Colin Croal told residents at
a recent meeting.
Croal projected finishing the infrastructural programme in the second half of 2021 so residents
can commence building their homes.
“Those are the areas we are developing the infrastructural work now to ensure those persons who
were allotted for those areas can access and start building. It is intended we will be spending $4.4
billion on infrastructure work alone for those communities on the East Coast for which we have
made allocations for house lots,” Minister Croal said.
He said “all of those infrastructure work will be complete in the second half of this year and you
will be able to have a fully developed area for which you can do your construction.”
Roads, drainage channels and access to water and electricity are among the works scheduled to
be undertaken according to the Housing Minister.
“When we give you communities, we want to give you complete communities so that you will
not have an excuse as to why you are not able to access your facility,” Croal explained.
He made the disclosure during the regular outreaches for communities on the eastern corridor
which attracted some 400 residents, the brainchild of Attorney General and Legal Affairs
Minister, Anil Nandlall.
Nandlall’s weekly rendezvous is a huge success.
“I continue to be shocked by the number of persons who come out to seek answers for their land
related issues. However, I am not the Minister of Housing, I do not have that authority to give
anyone lands but what I intend to do is to invite my two housing ministerial colleagues to meet
with you and other members of the public who have land-related concerns to come here
(Annandale) the very last Saturday in this month (January) as they will seek to answer several of
the questions that the public has,” he had told the anxious and impatient audience on January 9.

www.aroundtheregions.com learnt that the weekly meeting by the Attorney General and Legal
Affairs Minister have drawn members of the public from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands –
West Demerara); Four (Demerara – Mahaica); Five (Mahaica – Berbice); Six (East Berbice –
Corentyne) and Ten (Upper Demerara – Berbice).
“I can only highlight your concerns and issues with my colleagues but recognising the number of
persons who come out every week from far and wide to have their issues addressed I will speak
to my colleagues and ensure that they are here preferably the last Saturday in this month to meet
with you all. Don’t worry we will give you adequate notice and advice at least two weeks, but for
now we are looking at January 30 and we will inform and update you all along the way should
there be any challenges or changes,” Nandlall had assured attendees at his January 9 public
meeting.
He had reiterated President Irfaan Ali’s aggressive housing programme to ensure every
Guyanese who desires and apply, will secure a house lot, easing decades of stress they have been
enduring.
Last year, house lots were distributed at Strathspey, Bladen Hall, Vigilance, Plantation
Annandale, La Bonne Intention and Cummings Lodge. The Government is committed to clearing
the backlog of house lot applications in the system and is looking to acquire more lands for
development with help from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Guyana Sugar
Corporation and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited.
The PPP/C Administration has pledged to allocate 50,000 house lots over five years, as outlined
in its manifesto.  To date, through the President’s dream, some 3,600 house lots have been
delivered since August.
In the 2020 Emergency Budget, the Government implemented several measures to make
homeownership affordable for all. This includes the reversal of the value-added tax on building
materials to make building homes more affordable. The Government also increased the mortgage
interest relief ceiling from $15M to $30M.
Minister Nandlall informed this media house that his weekly Saturday engagement at
Annandale will not be held today January 30, as he is attending a Government outreach in
Essequibo, but assured that he will return next Saturday February 6, 2020.