US$4M ‘Jagsville’ to feature 171 modern houses

THE Cinderella County, as the Essequibo region is widely known, has been identified as the next hub for economic transformation, with local investor, S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services, gearing to pump US$4 million (G$800 million) into the development of a new housing scheme at Windsor Castle.
This project is being undertaken at a time when Guyana is experiencing an unprecedented increase in economic activities and investor interest, all motivated by the country’s nascent oil-and- gas sector.

The ultimate result of increased investor interest and a possible return of many Guyanese from abroad, is an increase in the demand for housing. And, while the County of Demerara has been the known hub for infrastructural advancement and development over the years, S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services has widened the scope for development, taking their investment across the Mighty Essequibo River to Anna Regina, seat of administration for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Breaking ground to initiate the project on Thursday were Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Colin Croal; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Ms. Susan Rodrigues; Principal of the project, Mr. Tamesh Jagmohan; and Region Two’s Regional Chair, Ms. Vilma Da Silva and other regional officials.
Jagmohan was quoted as saying that the project was conceptualised a long time ago, but that in light of the rising interest in Guyana these days, he thought that this is an opportune time to move to the next phase, which is the execution aspect of it.

The investor said the project was approved by the Anna Regina Town Council three years ago, but that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), which falls under the Housing Ministry, was required to grant approval as well.
“We revisited this project within months of the new government, and we were able to receive the permission for this project on or around December 10 of this year… If we want to have development in this country, we have to have speed; three years for a simple approval can really dampen one’s spirit… We could have already had families installed in those homes,” said Jagmohan. The investor, since being granted approval, has mobilised equipment, procured raw materials, and engaged all agencies and stakeholders, including financial institutions.

“We are days away from serious movement and action,” Jagmohan said, adding that the housing scheme will have lots ranging from 5,000-43,560 square feet, and will feature manicured landscaping, access to a playground, a swimming pool, as well as a lawn tennis court.
Minister Rodrigues said that in a way, the project would be a Private-Public Partnership, because 50 per cent of the allottees will come from the ministry’s database.
Minister Croal, as reported by the Department of Public Information (DPI), said the project, in addition to creating access to adequate housing, will also create hundreds of jobs for the residents of Essequibo.

“[It is] a very important investment for the people of Essequibo and Guyana; it’s important because while you have investments at the government level, equally important is investment by private sector. And that is why we welcome this initiative,” Minister Croal said, adding:
“Once all of that is developed, it means a lot for this community of Essequibo, because a lot of jobs will be created; employment as well as wealth generation.”
Access to adequate housing is viewed as a basic human , and is considered to be an integral factor for the enjoyment of other economic, social and cultural rights.
And, with Guyana’s economy poised to grow significantly in the coming years, the government will be moving to ensure that its people, especially from the low and middle-income brackets, have access to adequate housing. Housing units will eventually be constructed across all administrative regions, and the authorities are already working to identify and acquire lands for this purpose.

Minister Croal has said that with approximately 70,000 applications for housing in the CH&PA’s system, the ministry of housing is actively looking at ways of addressing the backlog, even as the number of applications continues to grow with new applicants daily.
Word is that the ministry is seeking US$250 million (approximately G$52.5 billion) in financing to support its housing development plans for the next five years.