The Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has said that his ministry will be approaching the government in order to obtain additional funds to expand the Core Home Support Initiative. The initiative aims to provide support to those who are in the lowest income brackets as part of the government’s housing drive.
In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information, Minister Croal stated that, “our project team is preparing a document that we intend to present at the government level, that will see us seeking further funding to be able to widen and embark on a similar type of programme for such persons,”.
The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is currently building 50 core homes in various communities and regions throughout Guyana. Some of the low income homes are currently being constructed in Sophia, Georgetown, whilst a few are located on the West Bank Demerara in the La Parfaite Harmonie housing scheme and are due to be completed by the end of next month.
However, according to Minister Croal, the project which is being executed under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP) funded by the International Development Bank (IDB), is limited in its parameters and as such requires expansion.
Minister Croal stated that, “the nature of that programme is confined because it is being funded through the IDB and it has its parameters…and so, we want to be able to expand that programme, so that those persons who, for whatever reason cannot pay for those homes we are building at the basic level, can still benefit from our housing programme”.
Minister Croal hopes to extend the programme beyond its current threshold of approximately 1000 homes, though it remains unclear how much funding will be required and how many homes will be constructed.
However the Minister was able to confirm that funds from the project will also go towards infrastructural works within the various communities.
