Home construction for another 40 families from Linden in Region Ten has become significantly easier following the latest distribution of steel and cement vouchers.
The initiative, part of the Government’s Steel and Cement Housing Subsidy Programme, aims to help individuals begin constructing their homes, whether on government-allocated or private land.
The vouchers, each valued at $225,000, were handed over during the ‘Dream Realised’ housing drive at the Watooka Guest House in Linden on Friday.
The exercise was led by Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, Minister within the Ministry Susan Rodrigues, and Permanent Secretary Bishram Kuppen.
The subsidy is a key element of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s broader effort to promote homeownership and raise living standards across Guyana.
The vouchers cover the cost of steel and cement for homes valued up to $6 million, while larger homebuilders, with estimates between $6 million and $25 million, receive additional support in the form of two slings of cement.
Beneficiaries have up to six months to redeem the vouchers at one of four designated suppliers in Linden.
Importantly, in the mining town alone, more than 130 vouchers worth an estimated $30 million were distributed last year.
This latest round provided support to 28 families, injecting approximately $6.3 million into the local economy.
In 2023, 97 vouchers were issued in Linden under the same initiative.
The government has introduced several additional measures to make homeownership more accessible.
These include the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on building materials, an increased ceiling for low-income mortgages, and targeted programmes such as the Lethem Housing Support Programme and the Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP).
Persons who are interested in benefiting from the steel and cement subsidy must submit their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), proof of identification, marriage certificates where applicable, and approved house plans from the relevant municipal authorities.
Meanwhile, the government remains committed to expanding and extending affordable housing opportunities countrywide for the overall development and improved livelihood of Guyanese.
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