The construction of more turnkey homes and allocation of 6000 houselots are among key projects that will be pursued by the Ministry of Housing in 2014.
The projects were outlined by the Housing Minister Irfaan Ali, yesterday, following a press conference at the Ministry on Brickdam.
GINA reported that the Ministry is targeting the construction of 500 turnkey homes. He pointed out that the acquisition of one of the homes as opposed to constructing works out far cheaper for the applicant.
This Silica City housing scheme which is to be developed on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway would be one of the ministry’s signature projects, Ali said.
The concept was launched at Building Expo 2013 and the ministry was hoping to have the conceptual designs, and outlay and outlook of the area available early in 2014.
Ali also pointed out that land allocation in Region Four has become an issue because of the lack of availability GINA reported.
“From a planning perspective it is becoming increasingly more difficult for us to find plots of land on the East Coast. Matter fact, we cannot locate lands on the East Coast now that can be used for housing development, because Guysuco as you know is still the largest owner of land on the East Coast, and they are basically not ready to divest themselves of any portion of land in that area,” he said.
He said too, that the ministry is in its penultimate tier of development with regards to the East Bank.
The Ministry of Housing will advertise very shortly for masons, carpenters and other skilled persons to work within the Ministry. This will be sustained employment for period of a year or two that will see the workers being organized into small contracting groups and given the responsibility of homes under the ministry’s housing programmes, GINA reported.
“We are going to train them to became contractors, to become owners of companies…they will be supervised by a competent team of engineers and planners here,” Ali explained.
In 2014 the Ministry of Housing is hoping to complete a few new schemes, among which are Zeeburg and the expansion of Zeelugt in Region Three for the creation of 1500 more lots.
GINA said that the Ministry will also focus on completing the new highway into Parfait Harmonie that would create a new access almost to the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
To be completed as well in 2014 is the asphaltic concrete paving of four collector roads between Eccles to Little Diamond, GINA added. .
