Some $13 million in contracts were signed on Saturday to commence the construction of 10 wooden elevated houses in Smith Creek, Region One (Barima-Waini) under the Hinterland Housing Programme.
The three contracts were signed by the Chairman of the Community Development Council (CDC), Sherman Lewis, and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) for the supply of labour, timber, sand and stone.
The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of a community outreach spearheaded by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal at the Mabaruma Learning and Resource Centre.
Minister Croal said the project is a fulfillment of a commitment made by His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali when he visited the riverine community during the election campaign in 2019.
He noted that the initiative is part of a process to upgrade the environment in which the people of Smith Creek live.
Further, the minister has committed to improving water access to mitigate water-related health issues.
“We will seek to assist that area or bring some semblance to Smith Creek with the assistance of some houses to be constructed.
“The environment of Smith Creek cannot continue how it is and similarly, we will be making interventions to ensure that they have a proper source of water so that we can eliminate some health concerns,” he stated.
Each unit will consist of three bedrooms and measure approximately 20 x 25 feet.
The CDC Chair expressed satisfaction that the PPP/C Administration is honouring its commitment.
“They tell us that if they only go into power, they will transform that environment by imploding the land and also to build some houses. Since they got into power they will go towards it, and I had a meeting with engineers from the ministry that came in and looked at the place. So, the people really feel proud to know that the commitments and the promises will come to reality and majority of the community will be involved like in building the houses cutting the material, so they will earn money, ” he noted.
Vulnerable persons and pensioners are being targeted to benefit from the housing project. To this end, the community agreed to the persons who will benefit. (Department of Public Information)
