–as it moves to clear backlog, expanding land access
The President Irfaan Ali-led Administration is stepping up land acquisition and housing development across Guyana to clear the backlog of house-lot applications and give more families the opportunity to own a home.
Minister of Housing Collin Croal said his ministry has identified the backlog in each region and is now working to secure and prepare additional lands for allocation, with major exercises expected to begin from September.
“We have already identified the backlog by region. We have already identified where the lands are coming from. We have done designs in some areas,” Minister Croal said during an interview on the Guyana Dialogue.
Minister Croal noted that the initiative is focused on people who have been waiting for years to secure a house lot, particularly in Region Four, where more than 50,000 applications remain pending.
He explained that the shortage of available land in Region Four has forced the government to expand housing development into new areas, including Silica City, Yarrowkabra, St. Cuthbert’s Mission and Long Creek, which are all located along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
“We have to find the lands to be able to satisfy the demand, and that is what we are doing,” Minister Croal said.
According to the housing minister, Regions Two, Three and Four are expected to benefit from upcoming allocation exercises, while allocations have already been conducted in Regions Five, Six and Ten.
In areas where state agencies do not have enough land to meet demand, the ministry is pursuing additional acquisitions. This includes Region Five, where efforts are underway to secure lands for applicants in communities with limited available state property.
Minister Croal said the housing programme is also being supported by major road investments, which will improve access to new residential communities and connect them to Georgetown and other population centres.
He said the government’s approach is intended to ensure that families are not only provided with land but are able to live in properly planned communities with the infrastructure needed to build secure and productive lives.
The land acquisition and allocation programme forms part of the government’s wider commitment to clear the housing backlog and construct 40,000 new homes over the next five years.