Ministry pushing infrastructural development in housing schemes
Guyana Chronicle
January 30, 2007
THE government, over the next five years, will be moving aggressively to complete infrastructural projects in all established housing schemes and regularise squatter settlements countrywide.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) said roads, bridges, drainage, water and electricity are the primary focus of the Housing Ministry, after which infrastructural development will target the construction of schools, Police stations and commercial and recreational zones.
GINA said that has been the government’s thrust in the last few years as it sought to provide affordable housing to all Guyanese, reduce poverty and improve living standards.
GINA said Diamond/Grove (East Bank Demerara); Tuschen (East Bank Essequibo); Goed Fortuin (West Bank Demerara); Mon Repos (East Coast Demerara) and Bath Settlement (West Coast Berbice) are among the housing schemes that have been significantly developed, resulting in more people occupying lots.
GINA said the government, last year, allocated $624.2M for infrastructure projects in 165 squatter settlements.
But emphasis will be placed on squatting on government reserves which poses a serious threat to drainage systems, Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Harry Narine Nawbatt said.
He explained that squatting also impedes the regularisation process of an area and prevents it from attaining housing scheme status.
However, during this five-year period, emphasis will be on regularising such areas, as well.
Nawbatt said, at Sophia, Greater Georgetown, one of the largest squatting areas in the country, it was observed that about 167 persons have been squatting on reserves and his ministry has, so far, found house lots for 44 families.
He disclosed, too, that he recently met a representative group from Sophia and discussions were held on the difficulty of locating land and the possible relocation options available for placement of the remaining squatters.
During the latter part of last year, the ministry launched a campaign to demolish unoccupied structures and remove squatters from private property and government reserves, GINA said.
The agency said the defaulters were given one month to move and that was followed by a final notice seven days prior to action being taken.
Additionally, teams were sent out to meet and sensitise the public on the issue of squatting, especially on government reserves, GINA said.
Distribution of public assistance books to 16,000 begun
THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has begun the distribution of books to about 16,000 recipients of public assistance and is advising beneficiaries to visit their respective post offices and uplift vouchers for the first half of this year.
Deputy Chief Probation and Social Services Officer, Mr. Dindyal Singh told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that about 13,000 have been sent to the offices responsible for distributing them in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) and Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice).
He said the books will be distributed twice annually because those to benefit have to undergo a periodic review every six months.
There are more that 16,000 people receiving the grant on the public assistance database at the ministry and Singh said the number is likely to increase in the coming months.
In addition, he said the government is providing aid to thousands of other Guyanese who are considered to be living in difficult circumstances.
That help is in the form of medical expenses and supplies, prostheses and, among other things, financial support to start small businesses, GINA stated.
GINA said, during 2006, more than 30,000 Guyanese were aided through such services.