Minister of Housing Collin Croal on Wednesday said the government’s $150 billion housing programme for 2026 will fund new housing initiatives, infrastructure works, land acquisition, regularisation of informal settlements and direct support to families who are building or improving their homes.
The minister made the disclosure during day three of the consideration of the estimates and expenditure of Budget 2026 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where he responded to questions from members of the Committee of Supply.
Minister Croal explained that the $150 billion allocation includes funding for ongoing projects as well as new initiatives aimed at expanding access to housing.
“First of all, we have rollover projects that we have to pay final and progressive payments for, $48.2 billion for new initiatives, $1.1 billion for regularisation of informal settlements, $2.275 billion for land acquisition for new housing schemes, $2.65 billion for utilities infrastructure, and $5.4 billion for infrastructure upgrades in existing areas,” he said.
Regularisation and relocation efforts
Minister Croal said his ministry is continuing an aggressive programme to regularise informal settlements and relocate persons from what have been classified as zero-tolerance areas, including sea defence reserves, drainage reserves and other locations that hinder major infrastructure works.
“We must always start on the premise that squatting is illegal… but while we have an aggressive programme to address squatting, we also have an aggressive programme to address persons who have applied the right way and are awaiting allocations,” Minister Croal said.
He outlined several communities across Regions Three, Four and Ten targeted for regularisation this year, while relocation efforts are ongoing in areas such as Parika, Anna Catherina, Ruby and sections of the sea defences.
In some cases, he noted, persons have already been identified for relocation and allocated land in new housing developments.
Direct assistance for home construction
The housing minister also provided details on a $7.5 billion allocation announced in the national budget to support home construction and improvements, particularly for vulnerable families.
The programme includes the continuation of the steel-and-cement subsidy for foundations, assistance for home improvements, support for completion of partially built homes, construction of core homes and funding for hinterland housing initiatives.
“We have a new initiative that we’re starting… targeting persons who may not be able to afford to do repairs, as well as assistance for the continuation of construction and some core homes,” the minister explained.
Of that amount, $2.5 billion has been earmarked for hinterland housing, which will include both new construction and home-improvement support.
The housing minister said funds are also being directed to major infrastructure works that support housing expansion, including road upgrades and new access roads linked to developing schemes.
Among the works budgeted for 2026 are asphalt overlay from Schoonord to Crane and sections of the Heroes Highway, as well as the commencement of a new highway from Schoonord to Parika.
In addition, the ministry is advancing the development of new housing areas, including the Charity housing scheme, where drainage works are underway to prepare lands for allocation.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that citizens have access to land ownership and adequate housing, while reducing squatting and improving living conditions.
“The government’s intention is that there must be no one living in any area for which you do not have the opportunity for ownership,” he said.