Over 250 people who have been allocated plots of land were given a virtual tour of the Hogstye Housing Development at Black Bush Polder in Region Six on Wednesday.
The tour allowed allottees to see their future house lots.
The exercise was led by Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues and engineers from the ministry.
Lashana Welch, a mother of two, welcomed the initiative. She said owning the land is a significant milestone and it will benefit her children.
“I feel grateful to see where the land is located. It will help me a lot because I am living in my grandmother’s house at the moment…Growing up, I always said I wanted my own land, so I achieved the land. My house is next. I am thankful for this,” the young mother said.
Another allottee, Ventrice Henry, praised the government’s inclusive housing programme, which she said is benefitting people across the country.
Henry and her husband applied for a house lot years ago and later requested a transfer after moving to Berbice.
“I feel so overjoyed about this. The government is doing a really great job by ensuring everybody gets land,” she said.
Gajendra Rajon said “Recently, I got a call for the land and I was happy that it is close to where I am working,” he stated.
Rajon explained that the government’s housing programme “is one of a kind in the Caribbean. Homeownership is something progressive for young people. It is something that would provide stability and keep them disciplined. It is something that they can look forward to in the future.”
Minister Rodrigues stated that the exercise is the first of many tours planned by the ministry for recently allocated housing areas.
Approximately $902 million is being spent to develop the housing area, with work being carried out by four contractors.
Some 300 lots were allocated at Hogstye Housing Scheme in March.
The minister emphasised the importance of allottees seeing the progress of infrastructure works firsthand.
“So today, two things we are achieving, you are here so you can see where the land is located that will be your future housing area. And we’re also showing you that the work has started here,” she told the allottees.
The contractual deadline for completing the infrastructure works, which will allow allottees to identify their lands, is October 31, 2025.
Minister Rodrigues announced that this is the first year house lot allocations and infrastructure works are being done simultaneously.
With the government surpassing its target of 50,000 house lots in five years, Minister Rodrigues said the ministry is working to acquire more land to meet housing demands across all regions.
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal also conducted a similar exercise at the Experiment Housing Scheme in Region Five.
