By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
Clearing long-standing housing backlogs and expanding financial support for home construction and upgrades are among the government’s key priorities as new measures are set to be introduced in Budget 2026.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, said the national housing programme remains a central pillar of the administration’s development agenda, with a strong focus on increasing the number of Guyanese homeowners over the next five years.
According to Minister Croal, while significant progress has been made in land allocation, a substantial backlog remains. He disclosed that, although more than 53,000 house lots have been allocated in recent years, the ministry still has more than 78,000 pending housing applications.
“These are pending applicants that are in the system and are awaiting allocation,” the minister explained, noting that clearing this backlog is one of the ministry’s primary mandates moving forward.
Looking ahead to Budget 2026, Minister Croal announced that the government will introduce new initiatives to provide direct financial assistance for home construction and upgrades nationwide. He said these measures are designed to support citizens who already own land but lack the resources to begin or complete construction.
He pointed to the ongoing steel and cement subsidy programme as an example of the government’s approach to practical housing support. The programme was introduced to assist individuals who were ready to build but faced financial constraints.
Over the past two to three years, more than $3.25 billion has been disbursed under the steel and cement initiative, with an additional $750 million distributed to beneficiaries, according to the minister.
Minister Croal said these efforts will be scaled up under the next national budget, with more aggressive programmes planned to assist homeowners with upgrades and the completion of housing construction. He emphasized that the expanded initiatives are part of a broader strategy to improve living standards, reduce housing shortages, and strengthen communities nationwide.
As Budget 2026 approaches, the government says housing will remain a key driver of social development, with policies aimed at expanding access to safe, affordable, and sustainable homeownership for Guyanese families.
