Region One new wells to see hundreds of millions being invested

An estimated $200M will be spent under the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Hinterland
Water Supply programme, to drill five new wells in communities within the Moruca sub-district,
Region One.
Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal mde this announcement during an outreach to
Warapoka on Sunday. Accompanying was Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley and Regional
Vice Chairperson, Anansha Peters. Croal disclosed that a rig owned by GWI will be in the region
by April this year, to commence drilling of a number of wells.
He said that this initiative, will see thousands of residents having access to improved water
distribution services. He noted that it will also bring government closer to achieving its target of
100 percent water coverage in the hinterland regions by 2025. Regarding Warapoka, Croal
committed to ensuring a water system is included in next year’s budget for that community. He
pointed out that the tourism village currently source water from the creek and practices rainwater
harvesting. “Warapoka, I have noted your concerns with the water and I can assure it will be on
our 2023 work programme. I will not make promises that I can’t deliver, so it will be a priority
on next year’s programme,” Croal said.
Commenting on housing issues, minister Croal revealed that Warapoka will be one of the first
Barima Waini villages to benefit from the government’s hinterland housing programme which is
expected to commence this year. The housing and water minister said the programme caters for
the construction of homes and upgrades to existing structures. He stressed that the programme
differs from the housing initiative on the coast, where beneficiaries are paying for the homes and
house lots allocated to them.
“This programme is fully funded by the government and those that are most in need will
benefit… a team will return to have consultations with the village council,” Croal explained to
the gathering. He revealed that the hinterland housing project will utilise a model similar to the
Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB)-funded Sustainable Housing for the Hinterland
programme, started under the PPP/C Government before 2015.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Ashley outlined major infrastructural developments for the
region. Ashley said of the $4.4B allocated to the region, $2.2B will go towards education
delivery and approximately $1B to health care.