The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) says approximately $9.1 billion is being invested in infrastructure to develop more than 3,800 residential lots in Region Three under a Saudi-funded housing programme.
CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Dr Martin Pertab and Director of Projects Omar Narine met contractors on Tuesday to discuss the works, including developments associated with the proposed Versailles-to-Parika highway corridor.
According to the authority, the contracts cover land preparation, infrastructure and the installation of utilities. The additional lots are expected to help reduce a backlog of almost 10,000 housing applications in Region Three.
Pertab told the contractors that, although the contractual completion period was ten months, CH&PA wanted the works finished within six to seven months so that the lots could become available for home construction.
He said Region Three remained an important area for the government’s housing programme because of the availability of land and growing demand.
Narine urged the contractors to mobilise promptly, coordinate their work and maintain the required standards. He also warned that their performance would be considered when future contracts were awarded.
The CH&PA release did not identify the contractors, the number or individual value of the contracts, the specific communities in which the lots will be developed or when work is expected to begin.
In June 2023, the government signed two loan agreements totalling US$150 million with the Saudi Fund for Development. Of that sum, US$100 million was earmarked for housing infrastructure to support approximately 2,500 housing units across three regions. The proposed works included roads, water, sewerage and electricity networks, wells and social facilities. The remaining US$50 million was allocated to the new Wismar Bridge. The terms of the loans were not disclosed.
The first phase of the Saudi-funded housing programme was advertised in December last year and targeted Leonora East, West Coast Demerara. It was divided into ten lots and included fair-weather roads, reinforced-concrete drains, culverts, bridges, road signs and pavement markings. Each lot carried a construction period of 240 days.
Tuesday’s meeting was also attended by CH&PA Health, Safety and Environment Manager Sunil Gopaul, Supervisory Engineer Albert Narine, Project Engineer Kenola Levans and representatives of supervisory consultants PACE-SRKN.
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