Over 600 houselots distributed in first half of 2013

A-moderate-income-housing-scheme-at-Providence-East-Bank-Demerara-1Georgetown : The Ministry of Housing has disclosed that the Housing Sector has already expended $1.1B of its $3.1B, 2013 budgetary allocation s by providing access to affordable housing, upgrading infrastructure in housing schemes and the regularisation of squatter settlements.

The recently released mid-year report stated that $649.6M was expended on infrastructural works which contributed significantly to the development of 2,254 new house lots. The Ministry distributed 636 house lots, processed 1,540 titles and constructed 48 turnkey houses for young professionals.

Two community development plans have been finalised for Tuschen, Region Three and Ordnance Fort Lands, Region Six.

Under the Low Income Housing Settlement (LIS) programme, $370.7M was disbursed and construction of 67 of 210 core houses targeted for this year have been completed. Construction of the remaining 59 is currently in progress.

In water  sector, $455.5M has been expended thus far from the budgeted $2.7B. This was directed towards increasing access to quality water supply.

A major component of this programme includes the reduction of non-revenue water losses by improvement of collection, metering of customers, reducing leakage in the network and increasing access to treated water.

Thus far in the year, works have commenced on service connections upgrades in Linden, in areas such as Kara Kara, Noitgedacht, Nottinghamshire, Amelia’s Ward, One Mile, Half Mile, Christianburg, Canvas City, West Watooka and Richmond Hill.

Meanwhile, works on wells at Cotton Tree and Hope are substantially completed; while the construction of wells, service connections upgrades, trestles and upgrading of water treatment plants in areas such as Better Hope-Mon Repos in Region Four and Port Mourant in Region Six will be completed by the end of the year.

 During the first half of 2013, $238.6M of the budgeted $600M was spent on continued rehabilitation of  sewerage stations in Georgetown, four of which were completed at Saffon and Sussex Streets, Russel and Princes Streets, Hadfield and Camp Streets, and Light and Fifth Streets. Works have already commenced at four other locations.

About 730,000 tablets have been distributed to treat filaria and other neglected tropical diseases; while $161.2M was spent on the procurement of two collection trucks, 825 bins and to continue infrastructural works on the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill.

The energy efficiency pilot, which is aimed at reducing energy consumption at pumping stations, has advanced with the procurement of equipment and commencement of a study.