The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has announced an aggressive five-year plan aimed at eliminating illegal settlements, clearing the backlog of housing applications and significantly expanding the national housing programme.
Chief Executive Officer Dr. Martin Pertab made the disclosure during remarks at the launch of the International Building Expo 2026, calling the initiative a firm commitment to ensuring more Guyanese have access to safe and legal home ownership.
“The commitment is clear for us to eliminate all illegal settlements, address the backlog in the demand of applications and expand the housing programme,” Dr. Pertab said.
He said the authority intends to construct more than 40,000 houses over the next five years, describing the move as necessary to keep pace with Guyana’s rapid development and rising demand for housing.
Dr. Pertab noted that the plan builds on progress made in the housing sector over the past five years, including the allocation of more than 50,000 house lots and increased construction activity nationwide.
However, he stressed that the next phase will depend on strong collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders.
“We realise we can’t do this by ourselves… we need to rely on the contractors, the suppliers, the private sector and the financial institutions to deliver on our mandate,” he said.
Dr. Pertab also said the International Building Expo 2026 has been structured to support the housing objective by bringing together developers, contractors, financial institutions and suppliers to showcase innovative, sustainable and affordable construction solutions designed to accelerate housing delivery across Guyana.
