The challenge of facilitating home ownership
Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
February 10, 2004
LIKE the massive foreign debt burden of $2.1 billion, the high inflation rate of 100 per cent and the high poverty rate of 76 per cent, Guyana before the 1992 elections carried another heavy burden - that of a government without a housing ministry and widespread squatting due to the severe housing shortage.
At the time the government changed in 1992, some 100 squatting settlements had mushroomed, but with no hope of the desperate housing crisis being resolved.
Soon after taking over the reins of government, the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) began slicing down the foreign debt, the inflation rate, the poverty rate and other positive changes, as well as seeking a solution to the housing nightmare.
A ministry of housing was established and one of its immediate goals was the provision of house lots to the needy of the low and middle-income groups.
The stark reality of the many squatting areas begged for a solution and over the years 65 squatting areas have been regularized and transformed from rural/urban slums into acceptable housing schemes, with transports being given to residents, in the same way as thousands of house lot owners have received theirs.
The facilitating of low-income home ownership, as in many other spheres of government activity, is a positive achievement that no one can deny, even though some have tried.
Statistics verify that the allocation of some 60,000 house lots have been effected in an equitable manner, without preference or, as some have attempted to charge, any racial or political bias.
While demand for house lots still remains, largely due to the tremendous backlog resulting from the years of neglect of housing by the previous government, it would be difficult to ignore the advantages that the housing drive has provided to the nation.
Besides easing the housing shortages, the large number of new houses throughout Guyana has provided more employment and more business in the purchase of building materials, etc. It has obviously improved living standards as well as health levels, as slum living, crowded lodgings, etc. could only encourage health hazards.
Our children are better off and our family structure is more secure, whereas before, many families were split up. As well, the huge addition of so many new dwellings has been a healthy response to absurdly high rentals and property prices.
Now, with more money to be spent in the social sector as a result of less public funds going to paying foreign debts, heavy infrastructure works are going on in the housing schemes and squatter settlements in the form of drainage systems, buildings, road networks and water distribution.
We have gone a long way in housing. But that does not mean we can slow down. Not until all the housing needs of Guyanese are satisfied can the tempo be reduced!