Twenty-five-year-old Towana Edwards of West Riumveldt, Georgetown, was unaware on Friday when she showed up at the Ministry of Housing on Brickdam that all of the operations have been moved to the new Plantation Houston, East Bank Demerara location, along the Heroes Highway/Mandela-Eccles corridor. Unaware of her next move, she tried to seek help from the security officer there.
Edwards missed the notice posted on the ministry’s Facebook page announcing its relocation. When she showed up on Friday, it was to check on an application she had submitted earlier this year for a house lot. She needed some clarity about the form and the way forward.
She showed up to closed gates, though, and an empty building. One of the first things she asked the security was just how she could find the new location. “They sending you too far man. Nobody don’t know where that is,” she told Kiskadee Watch, adding, “We now asking them how much to go up there and how far it is and them thing. To me, I believe them do it because they know nuff people does come here,” she posited.
Her friend, 28-year-old Oretta Thorne, of East Ruimveldt, was also turned away after she too was making checks on the house lot application she submitted three years ago. “They running from the crowd; they know a lot of people won’t get the time to go till up there cause is most town people want land,” she opined.
Meanwhile, the security officer kindly explained to the best of her knowledge how to get to the new location. “You ain’t taking bus; you taking taxi,” she said at first, taking into consideration that people are coming from all parts of the country and may not know the new area.
Then she explained that a route 42 minibus can also be taken to get there, but she warned that travellers have to be careful with this option less they end up in the wrong direction. “It’s close to the jumbie bird; not far from south roundabout. You can take a 42 bus and tell them you’re going New Road; don’t take just any 42 bus. Tell them you going New Road by the ministry,” she explained.
Many of the people who have traditionally used the services of the ministry have visited its offices on foot or by public transport. Accessing the new facility through public transport may be difficult for some and there is also the question of whether it is easy to get onto a bus when business is concluded at the new HQ.
Last Thursday, the ministry said with all services fully operational at the New Houston Headquarters, a clear understanding of the technical facilities and operational assets is critical to preserving the integrity, efficiency, and longevity of the state-of-the-art facility. In light of this, Housing Minister Collin Croal and Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Dr. Martin Pertab, engaged the contractor and maintenance team as part of the official handover of the facility’s technical and operational assets.
During the engagement, the ministry said Croal emphasised that proper operation and routine maintenance of the building’s systems will help to safeguard the Government’s investment while ensuring that employees can work in a safe, comfortable and efficient environment and that members of the visiting public can access services in a modern and welcoming setting.
“The engagement provided management with detailed insight into the building’s key systems, their functions and maintenance requirements. This is intended to ensure that the appropriate mechanisms are in place to preserve the quality of the facility, minimise disruptions and maintain a high standard of operation as the Ministry settles into its new home,” the ministry said, adding, “The contractor also reaffirmed [his] commitment to routine maintenance and to addressing any post-construction issues that may arise during the defects liability period.”
The Ministry of Housing and CH&PA had begun a phased relocation of its departments and services from its existing Georgetown locations, seeking to bring its various operations under one roof, with officials saying the consolidation is intended to improve service delivery and better serve citizens.
The Ministry said allottees seeking to uplift their Certificates of Title or Transports, or requiring assistance with matters relating to those documents, should now visit the new headquarters, as the Conveyance Department has been relocated there.
The Community Development Department has also moved from its former location at the Old Dairy Bar Building. Members of the public with matters concerning regularisation, relocation, community development, informal settlements and special projects are being directed to Plantation Houston.
The Planning Department, which is responsible for the processing of Planning Permissions, is also now operating from the new facility. In addition, all services previously provided at the Ministry’s Camp Street Annex have been relocated to the new headquarters.
The Land Administration Department, which handles land allocation, application interviews, turn-key inquiries and other housing matters, also recently closed its Brickdam office and resumed full operations at the new site.
Housing Minister Collin Croal, Minister within the Ministry Vanessa Benn, Permanent Secretary Bishram Kuppen and CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Dr Martin Pertab were on site recently to oversee the transition. The officials engaged staff and reviewed the operational arrangements at the new facility to ensure services continue with minimal disruption as additional departments are relocated.
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