Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Colleague Minister in the Ministry of Housing and Water, Hon. Susan Rodrigues; Permanent Secretary Mr. Andre Ally, Chief Executive  Officer of Central Housing and Planning Authority – Mr. Sherwyn Greaves; Director of Projects, CHPA – Omar Narine, Project Manager of Sophia Community Development Association- Sidney Nelson, other members of the SCDA, residents of Sophia, members of the media, good afternoon.

This is another happy occasion to meet the residents of Section C, Sophia despite the weather. Today’s signing is important for the residents of this community, for the development of the community but especially for the development of the residents.

The construction of the Multipurpose Facility in this area forms part of the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme. This programme is designed improve the quality of life for residents in urban and peril-urban Georgetown by improving access not only to housing, but to the infrastructure in these areas. This means that facilities like this one that will be built will help you have a better quality of life and the children will have a safe space to play and learn.

My Friends, it is important that you know that these interventions in Sophia are not by chance. My government has carefully considered the needs of communities like Sophia and we want to ensure that all of the benefits from this programme will accrue to you.

The Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme will improve housing conditions and access to critical infrastructure, enhance mobility and safety, and strengthen the capacity to operate and maintain urban services. In short, this programme will make your community better!

In this regard, the sum of US 10 million dollars has been allocated for affordable and sustainable housing. This allocation will make 250 core homes and 2000 home improvement subsidies possible. But what does this mean for you? Let me tell you.

50 persons from Sophia will be selected to receive core homes to a total value of $200,000,000 (two hundred million) and 119 persons will receive home improvement subsidies to the tune of $59, 500,000. (Fifty nine million, five hundred thousand)!! But wait, there is more!

As we move towards consolidating existing schemes, we have allocated monies to finance the Livelihood Restoration Plan. This intervention will address displacement and its related impacts associated with Project Works in Sophia.  As a result 20 persons from Sophia have qualified for cash entitlements – 3 for cash crops and 17 for income allowances!

In addition, we have handed out 4 mobile units to residents whose business operations were dismantled or moved to facilitate infrastructural works under the various projects that are being implemented in your community. And have completed forty seven bridge replacements for persons whose bridges were similarly dismantled as well as allocated 3 house lots to residents who were informal dwellers and had to be moved from areas where project works are being done.

For all of these activities, we have consulted over 900 residents from Sophia as we wanted to find alignment with the needs of the community. These consultations have led to 75 residents being employed directly with the project since it started. As we seek to enhance the capacity of communities, we have ensured that thirty percent of labour required for any project comes from the community itself.

The involvement of residents is important to us, and so with the formation of the Community Based Project Monitoring team, 11 Community Leaders from across Block X Liliendaal – A Field to Section C Cummings Lodge- Cummings Park including a councillor of the Mayor and City Council were selected.  They meet every other month with the Contractors, and CHPA staff to receive updates and address issues related other projects.

We also considered the views of women in the formulation of these interventions. In fact, A Women’s Safety Audit – WSA was conducted in December 2018 which saw the participation of thirty four women from Sophia. Their involvement saw the consideration of the unique needs of women from these communities and therefore, we were able to better cater for those needs as well as increase the safety of women through the installation of street lights and bridges.

Folks, we recently launched the Community Based Employment Stimulation Project – CESP. This project seeks to create jobs within identified communities through the purchase of concrete blocks from block makers within those communities which will be used for houses to be built by CHPA over the next 5 years.  CHPA will provide some support to block makers through the provision of tools, training and other means. I am happy to tell you that Sophia has been identified to participate in this project. I hope that those of you who are already involved in block making will speak with my officers at the close of this event to find out how you can participate.

Finally, the Guyana Strategy for Informal Settlement Prevention and Upgrade Project is being prepared as we speak. This project will ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services by 2030, and it includes considerations for permanent settlements for residents of Sophia who are informal settlers.  We consulted more than 100 stakeholders, including residents from Sophia and very shortly field work will begin. When this is completed, using the findings from the fieldwork and the consultations, a strategy will be devised that will guide the government’s approach to informal settlements.

My friends, the contract that we will sign in a few minutes for a state of the art community facility here in Section C includes the upgrade of another existing facility in this area.  I want to reiterate that these activities are being undertaken because of the government’s commitment to making all communities better, to making the lives of all citizens better. These are no easy tasks; many of our citizens are facing flooding because of the increased rains, we are battling COVID 19 and other challenges, but I promise you that we are doing all we can to bring relief to you. I want to urge you to ensure that you and your families get vaccinated, make sure you wear your masks and social distance as much as you can. Above all, continue to look out for your community. You have a friend in my Ministry, we will do all we can to make your community better.

Thank you for being here today, let’s get that contract signed!

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