A house of one's own
Guyana Chronicle
December 23, 2003
AS we come closer to Christmas and the New Year, our annual period of love and rejoicing, it is well to keep in mind that like every year at this time, more and more Guyanese are achieving one of their lifetime goals - a house of one's own.
For many, it ends agonizing years of moving from one rented dwelling to another, quarrels with landlords over increased rents and leaky roofs, and the uncertainty of existence.
One of the very first moves of the then new government of the PPP/Civic in 1992 was to seek a solution to the overwhelming problem of housing. The previous government, the PNC, had thrown up its arms in despair and closed down its housing programme and housing ministry.
The PPP/Civic had to start, literally, from scratch.
Squatting was the poor people's way of solving the lack of housing facilities, and this was prevalent in all parts of Guyana.
The PPP/Civic under the leadership of President Cheddi Jagan came up with what turned out to be the solution.
Without funds, an empty treasury and a massive debt accrued by the PNC, the PPP/C had to find a solution not based on the provision of large sums of money.
Using its wits, the administration made use of one of Guyana's natural riches, its lands. This began a new type of housing programme that provided house lots, and the challenges to those in need of housing, to build on that. Many said it could not work, but it proved to be the answer to finding a roof over needy families and thus began, just ten years ago, Guyana's housing programme, which has already provided some 55,000 house lots to those in need.
Over the decade, funds have been found, as the nation prospered and the awesome debt burden left by the PNC was reduced, so that more of the national income would go into education, health, housing and water.
Now infrastructure works are being done, lines of credit to homebuilders provided, and transports issued.
Perhaps one of the great achievements of our Housing Ministry has been the restructuring of 65 of the old squatting areas into upgraded housing settlements.
Already, in the space of ten years, there are 97 housing schemes providing housing for the needy and also those of lower and middle-income families who cannot afford to purchase lots at the going rate.
Thus, through innovation and a strong motivation to help the disadvantaged, the PPP/C has achieved its goal of providing housing for the masses.
This continues, as with population growth and new young adults, housing needs continue. After so many decades of neglect, this last decade has been one of rebirth!