Georgetown: From foliage tip to beach, thousands of families across the length and breadth of the country have had their lives irrevocably altered as the Housing Programme sweeps the nation, paving the way for widespread social and economic transformation.
Holding back their tears of joy, the beneficiaries of the various programmes embrace their new station in lives with a sense of disbelief, but of worthiness, as they accept the keys to their homes and the beginnings of a new life , full of hope and endless possibilities.
Weather it’s a three bedroom bungalow on the outskirts of the city or a two room cottage thousands of miles across a river, individuals, families and a nation are now finding greater appreciation for life and the may avenues for development now available.
Through the social fabric of our lives, one truth remains constantly interwoven, regardless of class, race or creed, we all have the right to adequate housing and shelter; the right to housing is recognised in a number of international human rights instruments- Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises the right to housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living, Article 11(1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) also guarantees the right to housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living.
In international human rights law the right to housing is regarded as a freestanding right; this was clarified in the 1991 General Comment no 4 on Adequate Housing by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, further still, the right to adequate housing was a key issue at the 1996 Habitat meeting in Istanbul and a main theme in the Istanbul Agreement and Habitat Agenda. Paragraph 61 of the agenda identifies the steps required by governments to "promote, protect and ensure the full and progressive realisation of the right to adequate housing".
To say that this and more is not being fulfilled and delivered to Guyanese citizens throughout the length and breadth of the 10 regions is to deny oneself the truth…seeing men, women and children shed tears of appreciation, of elation and tremble with jubilation is a truth in itself and “Truth never damages a cause that is just.” ― Mahatma Gandhi once said.
Mere days ago, hours ago, minutes ago , and many miles up the Moruca River, across distance and space separated by meandering rivers, the truth for 22 families was made manifest, brought to the fore by the will to make a difference and the resilience to withstand challenges, come what may.
The families from Manawarin , in Region One (Barima/ Waini) received keys to their new homes as part of the Ministry of Housing’s Hinterland Housing Pilot project , which is being implemented under the second Low Income Settlement Programme (LIS-2).
The Government of Guyana has obtained funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the implementation of this project, the primary aim of which is to improve the living conditions of low income families through access to housing.
Witnessing the cascade of emotions that overcame the beneficiaries as they grasped within their palms the proverbial keys to their future was surreal; Timothy Daniels, Deon Williams, John Oselmo, Gloria John, Verly Fredricks, Evadney John, Crawford Williams, Mabel Benjamin and their families for the first time in their lives can now elevate themselves from living in bungalows without walls to completed three bedroom homes.
This change will now bring about a domino effect as families relocate from remote parts of the region to take up residence in the community and have access to the most basic of services , education and health.
In this community, 18 families were initially identified for this intervention based on the project’s budget, the village council however was very proactive in negotiating, and they eventually managed to source materials such as wood, at cheaper rates and reached an accord with the contractor to supply labour at community rates.
Through this intervention, the programme was extended so that four more families would be able to benefit , additionally three families were identified to receive complete roof replacement subsidies.
The overall project value in Manawarin was $34.6M, an amount which contributed in no small way to altering the course of dozens of Caribs, Arawaks and Waraus lives, and in this Amerindian Heritage Month, lending hope to the indigenous peoples of this nation and reassuring them that they have not been forgotten and that their well being and security are priority for this government.
This pilot project was designed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, respective village councils and the residents of the selected communities and without a doubt its success is irrefutable; given this fact , even more families form other communities including Oronoque, Whitewater, and Manawarin in Region One and Kwatamang, Annai Central, Apoteri, Massara, and Katoka in Region Nine can expect a breakthrough as the housing drive moves closer to their communities.
For each individual, a new home signals many new beginnings but for Riliegh Fredricks, his new home meant his daughter can now walk to school with ease rather than sailing miles up a river in a dug out canoe.
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