New Ministry of Housing location – take a bus then walk 15 minutes, or pay $3,000 for a taxi

For vehicle owners, accessing the services of the Ministry of Housing at its new location at Plantation Houston, East Bank Demerara, along the Heroes Highway/Mandela-Eccles corridor, would be a breeze. This is not so for other citizens, though, who must rely on public transportation to get there. In fact, there currently is no public transportation that plies the route.

“You ain’t taking bus; you taking taxi,” is how one security officer at the Brickdam office recently explained the process of getting to the new location. At least two taxi drivers, though, at the Stabroek bus park, in front of Demico, told Kiskadee Watch yesterday that the cost to get to the ministry is $3,000.

As an alternative, a route 41 minibus, or a ‘South’ bus, can be taken for $140 to get someone to the closest location to the ministry – that of the roundabout at Aubrey Barker Road. These buses can be found in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market clock. It is not clear if there is a daily difficulty in getting these buses, but at around 11 am yesterday, none was available and passengers had to wait some time before one arrived.

Once at the roundabout, there is a sign that says “South Ruimveldt Gardens.” Heading south of it, the Ministry is approximately a 15-minute walk away – a walk that is arduous, especially when the sun is out in all its glory. The traffic is heavy and can pose difficulties when vehicles are parked along the side of the road and pedestrians must step over the safe line to pass.

Passing another sign that says “Houston,” the ministry comes up on the left some distance past the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. Kiskadee Watch understands that some route 42 minibuses, which ply the Timehri route, or “short to Grove,” may also use the Heroes Highway, but this is rare, according to one minibus driver. A route 47 minibus, or a “Back Road” bus can also be taken to get to the roundabout at Aubrey Barker Road.

Meanwhile, elderly persons and those travelling with babies or young children could find the journey even more challenging, particularly while having to carry essentials such as umbrellas, baby bags, water bottles and document files.

Miss Moore (only name given) spoke to Kiskadee Watch as she was leaving the Ministry and making her way to the roundabout to get a bus back to the market. She suggested that the Ministry can perhaps look into introducing a shuttle system to help persons with transportation from the roundabout to the ministry and back.  

Persons obviously face the same set of options when it comes to leaving the ministry. With no buses plying the route, they either take a taxi or walk to the roundabout to get a bus. One driver in front of the ministry charged a family $2,500 to the Stabroek bus park, while another charged $2,000.

For Moore, she said she was already tired when Kiskadee Watch caught up with her halfway through the trek. “I’m already feeling tired and I still have a little more to go. It’s very difficult, but what you could do? Such is life,” she expressed.

Coming from Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (located at the back of Grove she said), she had to pay a taxi fare of $3,500. To save herself paying that amount to return home, she opted to walk to the roundabout to get a bus to the minibus park. She went to the new location to check on a house lot application that she had put in since 2014. “They are not finding it, so I have to do it all over again,” she shared.

Trying to get that sorted, she said now that she knows the exact location of the Ministry, she will be using the bus system in future. “Now that I know the way, I will get the bus next time because it’s more economical. I don’t know why they moved, but it’s too far away from the town to me. On Brickdam, it was closer and easier; in a bus, out a bus,” she said, noting that the staff at the new location were friendly and helpful.

As for Stephanie Harris and her family, visiting the Ministry yesterday was quite an expense for them, only to be told that their transaction couldn’t be completed because the person needed to sign it was in a meeting. She was there with her partner, her mother and her young child, coming all the way from the back of Wales, West Bank Demerara. It was an expense to the family just to get out of Wales as there is no public transportation at the back there either, added to the other costs now of getting to the Ministry’s new location. At least one member of the family was told to return today to continue the transaction.

Bare Root, East Coast Demerara resident Bernice Fraser was not going to be told to come back though. “Was a whole heap of push around and I had to behave disagreeable before they tended to me,” she told Kiskadee Watch.

Like many others who are unaware of the Ministry’s move, Fraser paid $240 to get to town yesterday and took another bus to the Ministry’s Brickdam office only to be told that the operations have moved. Here, she took a taxi that charged her $2,000 to get to the new location. Finally, having received a house lot yesterday after applying in 2015, Fraser made her way down to the roundabout junction to get a bus back to Stabroek Market. “I am not running down my country, but it’s a little bit sticky in doing business. The arrangement and setting up does be too tough. I don’t have that time,” she expressed.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Housing and Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) worked for the last day at Brickdam on September 4. The move came as the Ministry sought to bring its various operations under one roof, with officials saying the consolidation is intended to improve service delivery and better serve citizens.

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.

The Ministry has asked members of the public to exercise patience during the transition and said further updates will be issued.

HOW TO GET THERE

From Georgetown

Take a Route 41 (South) or Route 47 (Back Road) minibus from the Stabroek Market area to the Aubrey Barker Road roundabout.

From the roundabout

Follow the “South Ruimveldt Gardens” sign south toward Houston. The Ministry is about a 15-minute walk from the roundabout, on the left, past the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel.

Returning to Georgetown

Walk back to the Aubrey Barker Road roundabout to catch a bus to Georgetown, or take a taxi directly from the Ministry.

Transport costs