Nine families, who are currently squatting on the Sea Defence Reserve at Annandale on the East Coast of Demerara, were today presented with keys to their new homes by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal.
The new low-income, two-bedroom houses, valued at $5M each, are located in Annandale New Housing Scheme, and according to Minister Croal, the construction and the distribution of the houses are in keeping with a commitment made by President Irfaan Ali just last September.
It was explained that at the time of the President’s visit, a total of 15 families were seen to be living in deplorable conditions on the sea defence reserve in an area called ‘Sand Reef.’
Of the 15 families, 10 agreed to have low-income houses built by the Government with finances from the New Building Society (NBS) through its mortgage portfolio while the other five, opted for the land to spearhead their construction.
“Those with the land, they were subsequently allocated their lands with a conditionality that they would have to finish their own construction within a particular time. Here, these houses represent the other 10 but we were able to have nine of the 10 prequalify, and the reason being one out, is an elderly lady, she is putting all the systems in place to have support because she has family members, and so we will be able to put her on eventually. Nine of the 10 are here now to uplift the keys for their house. Their monthly payment rate is about $24,000 if you round it off to new Building Society.” Minister Croal explained.
The nine families have been given up to the end of this month to move into their new homes. The Housing and Water Minister said this is necessary to facilitate demolition of the structures located on Government’s reserve in the area.
“By the end of this month we will start dismantling some of the structures [or]they can do that themselves, if they need the materials. But we will start the dismantling for that area by the end of the month, so we can have it cleared. The environment there is not one that is desirable,” he said.
Fifty-two-year-old Indroutie Bicessar, a mother of two, applauded the Government for making good on its commitment to furnish them with new houses. However, as a domestic worker, she said she is concerned about payment of the mortgage on a monthly basis.
“I feel happy ah getting a new home, yes, but I ain’t getting the work every day, so I got to try and see how I can get work to pay it,” she told News Source. She has been squatting in the area for some three years.
Another beneficiary, Rajesh Jaipaul, 35, expressed similar sentiments, telling News Source that as a squatter he never paid a bill in his life, and paying the mortgage would be difficult.
“I wish if it could have been anything less, yuh know, that would have been great because I have five kids, I don’t know about the others, at least you have to maintain them, you have to send them to school, you have to pay bills. I use to squat, I never use to pay bills and them thing, and now you have to pay bills, you have to pay mortgage. I glad if it could be anything less than the $24,000 but the house and everything good, because is nine years now I squatting,” Jaipaul told News Source.
According to him, though he applied for the mortgage through CH&PA, he was never told that he would be required to pay a mortgage of $24,000 on a monthly basis.
Thirty-five-year-old Manjanie Roopchand, who started squatting on the sea defence reserve in 2016, said she is more than happy to move into her new home with her husband and children.
“It will improve my life because it is a better environment for my children them; we will be comfortable now; we wouldn’t have to suffer for water or light. It is a better place,” the mother of four said.
Meanwhile, with Government having ‘no tolerance’ for squatting, Minister Croal is warning against the erection of new structures on the Government’s reserve.
Today’s relocation exercise marks the first for 2023, and according to the Housing and Water Minister, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will soon move to regularize squatting settlements along the West Bank of Demerara, even as it continues to allocate house lots and houses across the country.
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