Thirty-two happy individuals now have a place to call home as they collected their keys to their core homes at Peters Hall on Friday.
Wanda Abrams, 66, is happy that she no longer has to pay rent and is now a homeowner.
As a visually impaired person, Abrams said she could not afford to build her own home, but she is incredibly grateful to have a home that accommodates her needs.
Diana Port, another beneficiary, stated that her new home will significantly improve her life.
Port emphasised that she is grateful to the government for assisting persons in need.
“We need to live in better conditions, with a better environment. And I think that is something very good for each and every one of us, to be living comfortably and smiling”, she noted.
The homes were constructed under the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP), which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and executed through the Ministry of Housing’s Central Housing and Planning Authority.
Without 256 core homes constructed, they are priced at nearly $5 million each and are 400 square feet.
The homes feature two bedrooms, a kitchen area, and washroom facilities.
Beneficiaries contribute GY$100,000 toward the construction.
Minister of Housing Collin Croal stated that with only 34 core homes left to be constructed, the initiative forms part of a wider effort to address the housing gaps and improve living standards, particularly for low- and middle-income families.
“It is the duty of the government to put the necessary policy mechanisms in place to ensure that the opportunity is available to all of its citizens, and that is what we are doing”, he stated.
Minister Croal emphasised that this programme will serve as a model for other housing initiatives.
“This is the hard work, the fruits of the hard work… you have your keys now to your home… that’s what we work for”, he noted.
Additionally, Minister within the Ministry of Housing Vanessa Benn stated that the initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 10, which aims to reduce income inequality and disparities based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, or economic status within and among countries by 2030.
Minister Benn urged beneficiaries to take responsibility for maintaining their communities, stressing the importance of clean and healthy environments.
“We’re asking… that you engage with other persons in your community to ensure that the drains are kept clean… so that it’s safe and healthy”, she urged.
The government has budgeted $159.1 billion this year to advance housing development nationwide, with continued infrastructural works in both new and existing schemes.
At least 15,000 households are expected to receive house lots this year as part of the ongoing allocation drive.
The government has pledged to distribute 8,000 house lots and issue no fewer than 7,000 certificates of title, enabling thousands of families to secure legal ownership of their properties.