Minister Rodrigues and PS Andre Ally (inset) discuss prospects for land development at location in Region 5
The current demand for housing in Region 5 may soon be addressed with land allocation if all goes well with talks between the Ministry of Housing’s Central Housing and Planning Authority, Mahaica Mahaicony Abary – Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) and GuySuco.
On Friday Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues along with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Andre Ally conducted a land hunting exercise in Region 5.
The move was to identify land to be developed for housing purposes. Yesterday’s visit saw the two ministry officials setting eyes on just about 5000 acres of land in about six different areas within the Region.
“We are looking to develop housing for all income brackets, high income, middle income and low income and even possibly some commercial lands because those are close to the road front… so that was the first part of our visit today (Friday)” Minister Rodrigues told BIG Smith News Watch.
The minister said that discussions will continue with the MMA and GUYSUCO so that the process of transferring the lands to the Central Housing and Planning Authority can be done soonest in an effort to facilitate the ministry’s engineers’ designing of the areas so that allocations can be made.
On Friday it was noted that house lot applications for Region 5 stand at approximately 3,500. Shieldstown, Rosignol, Fort Wellington and Dantzig were among the areas visited on Friday where lands were identified.
At Referendum squatting, the ministry will be intensifying their discussions with GuySuco to have the area regularised as the persons living there have reached out to the ministry to have that issue sorted out. There are close to 40 families living in the area.
Yesterday’s visit also saw two community meetings that addressed water and other housing-related issues that were addressed by the Permanent Secretary and the Minister within the Housing Ministry.