Hinterland Houses, Water Improvements for Karisparu, Reg. 8

Hinterland Houses, Water Improvements for Karisparu, Reg. 8

Karisparu, Region Eight, is set to benefit from the Government’s Hinterland Housing and Hinterland Water Supply Programmes.

Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal, and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Hon. Pauline Sukhai met with villagers on Tuesday to discuss developments in the area, following a separate memorial service to commemorate the Mahdia School Dorm Fire. Guyana Water Inc.’s Hinterland Services Director, Mr. Ramchand Jailal, was also at the engagement.

Water

Minister Croal highlighted the government’s goal of achieving 100% access to potable water in the hinterland by 2025. In 2020, only around 40% of Region Eight had access to potable water. Over the past three and a half years, the government has invested $526 million to improve the water supply in the region. The total investment is expected to increase to $650 million and push the regional potable water supply coverage to around 90%.
Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal
“We are investing a lot to ensure that all communities have access,” the Minister asserted.
He emphasized that the expansion of the water supply coverage prioritizes areas with schools, health centres, and other public buildings before extending to individual home connections.
For Karisparu, the Minister said that the drilling of a well in the village was initially planned last year. However, logistical challenges arose due to the village’s geographical location, making it difficult to transport the heavy drilling rig. In the interim, $60 million was allocated for a trestle and catchment system with distribution networks, following consultations with villagers. This project is about 60% complete.
With the reopening of the airstrip, Minister Croal added that the contractor will be able to transport materials to the area via aircraft, facilitating progress on the project.
Some of the residents gathered at the meeting.

Housing

Under the Hinterland Housing Programme, Minister Croal announced that consultations will begin for the construction of ten homes in Karisparu.
The Village Council and residents will play a key role in identifying the most vulnerable individuals in the village to receive these homes.
Other communities set to benefit from the housing programme will be identified later this year. The Hinterland Housing Program aims to construct homes in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine.
Several homes have already been completed and handed over to families in Regions One and Nine.