Plans and projects in 2022 Budget all achievable- Minister Rodrigues
Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues has assured that the plans and projects included in the 2022 National Budget are all achievable, given the track record of the People’s Progressive Party administration.
“Our competence, capability, and track record on implementation, should bring comfort and ensure for all Guyanese, that the plans, programmes, policies and projects contained in the budget 2022 are achievable and will be achieved,” she noted during her presentation on the $552.9 billion budget.
Minister Rodrigues said when the government took office in August 2020, it met a backlog of 70,000 applications, coupled with low occupancy in housing schemes where infrastructure was lacking.
She said that the housing sector today, has been revitalised and rejuvenated. This saw the government surpassing the coalition’s just over 7,000 house lot allocation during their tenure, in just one year.
“To date, we have already accomplished all of the housing commitments listed in our manifesto, including the allocation of 10,000 house lots and out of that 3,926 went to women,” she said.
Minister Rodrigues attributed the growth in the construction and manufacturing sector and the increase production of sand in 2021, to the government’s robust housing and infrastructure programmes, noting that these are as a result of careful planning and implementation of the government’s policies.
“The growth in the construction sector in 2021 is directly co-related to our infrastructure programmes and our housing programme. The $5 billion increase in real estate loans issued by commercial banks is directly co-related to our policy; increase in mortgage ceilings and mortgage interest relief. These direct results are because of careful state planning and prudent management of the economy,” Minister Rodrigues pointed out.
This year, the sum of $12.4 billion has been allocated for continued infrastructural development works in housing schemes. This will see a number of allottees being able to access their lands to begin constructing their homes.
