Housing Ministry to conduct occupancy survey for Oronoque housing development -Minister

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC) will conduct an occupancy survey in Oronoque, Port Kaituma, Region One as housing development plans move apace.

Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal made this announcement during a recent outreach to the community, which is located in the Matarkai sub-district. The housing development plans for the community are set to start in 2022.

The Minister said the PPP/C Government had previously identified lands there for housing development, but the plans were shelved after the Coalition took office in 2015.

“Back then, 100 acres were identified in the Oronoque community but from then to now, you have had issues about one, persons being permitted to occupy some of those lands by the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC).

Two, you had been given internal permission from area councillors for persons to occupy those same lands so with the Acting Head of GLSC what we have agreed that they will pay a joint visit by GLSC along with the Central Housing and Planning Authority under the Ministry,” he said.

Minister Croal explained that the process will allow the Ministry to provide the necessary infrastructure and key services needed to improve potential residents’ quality of life.

“Once we assume ownership of an area for housing development and land allocation, we also accept the responsibility that comes with it that is in terms of the infrastructure works such as grading of the area, roads, utility services among others.

A section of the gathering at Oronoque, Matarki sub-Region One

However, in the case of GLSC, they can lease but development works have to be done by the individual.”

The Minister said this approach is in keeping with Government’s commitment to ‘do the heavy-lifting’ to develop every community in the country. As such, he urged the village councillors to protect the lands identified by the Ministry to ensure the process moves smoothly.

The previous PPP/C Government had launched the Hinterland Housing programme which saw more than 600 beneficiaries from the Second Low Income Settlement initiative. This $40 million programme was a partnership between the Housing Ministry and the Inter-American Development Bank.