The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) is currently surveying 8,000 acres of land to assist the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) in reducing its housing application backlog across the country.
This was disclosed by Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GLSC, Enrique Monize, during the commission’s 25th Anniversary and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday at Durban Backlands.
Monize noted that the land is being made available to CHPA across all administrative regions except Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and is transferred directly to housing, not sold.
“We continue to provide and survey lands for every aspect of development that is currently unfolding in Guyana. Housing, hospitals, schools, waste management sites, and you name it,” the Commissioner said.
The announcement comes as the country grapples with a significant housing demand surge. Housing applications between 2020 and 2025 rose by more than 200 per cent compared to the 2015 to 2020 period, with sharp increases recorded in Region Three and Region Six.
The government is currently working to address a backlog of more than 80,000 pending housing applications, a task that CHPA CEO, Dr Martin Pertab, estimates will require approximately 5,500 acres of land and nearly $30 billion in supporting infrastructure.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has committed to clearing the backlog in all regions at the opening of the International Building Expo last Thursday. Region Four, however, has a volume of some 52,000 applicants and requires ongoing collaboration with agencies, including the Lands and Surveys Commission, to acquire additional land.
Beyond the housing drive, the commission has also delivered surveys for several of the country’s major infrastructure projects, including the East Bank road network, new West Demerara roads, the new Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge alignment, the gas pipeline, and powerline routes.
Over 9,000 lease approvals were additionally processed and issued to members of the public across Guyana up to the end of 2025.
Established in 2001, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission is responsible for managing state lands, land surveying, mapping, and supporting national planning and development initiatives under the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Act of 1999.