HGP Nightly News – Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed says Guyanese need completed housing schemes with reliable roads, drainage and utilities, not another government slogan launched while thousands of applicants remain without house lots and established communities await basic infrastructure.
In a video statement, Mohamed criticised the government’s newly launched Model Village initiative, arguing that the administration should first finish incomplete housing developments and repair neglected communities.
“The Guyanese people do not need another slogan. They do not need another launch,” Mohamed said. “They need a government that finishes what it starts, fixes what is broken and puts people before publicity stunts.”
The government has said the initiative will transform communities through coordinated planning, upgraded infrastructure, expanded public services and greater involvement by residents.
Mohamed questioned that promise, claiming the People’s Progressive Party/Civic has failed—despite its years in office—to develop a single community with all essential amenities in place.
He pointed to deteriorating roads, poor drainage and unreliable access to potable water, electricity and street lighting in several housing schemes. Recreational facilities and green spaces are also missing from many communities, he said.
Some allottees remain unable to build because the necessary infrastructure has not been installed, Mohamed claimed. Others have paid for house lots but are still waiting to receive them.
He further alleged that more than 50,000 housing applications remain pending. The government has previously acknowledged a substantial backlog, with Region Four accounting for approximately three-quarters of outstanding applications.
For those who receive land, construction can bring another financial shock.
Mohamed said many lots are low-lying, forcing owners to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on sand and other filling material before laying a foundation. He estimated that a truckload of sand costs at least $55,000 in some areas.
He also alleged that government control over access to certain sand pits had contributed to higher prices. That claim has not been independently verified.
Mohamed argued that the administration should introduce measures to reduce construction costs and make homeownership more attainable before promoting new flagship projects.
He questioned the continued emphasis on Silica City while existing communities remain without adequate roads, drainage and utilities.
The Opposition Leader also criticised the layout of some schemes, saying narrow roads create congestion and make it difficult for vehicles travelling in opposite directions to pass safely.
He dismissed the Model Village meetings as announcements rather than genuine consultations, claiming residents had little opportunity to influence decisions already taken by the government.
“This was not genuine consultation,” he said.
Mohamed also linked the programme’s launch to the aftermath of the July 18 MV Barima disaster, describing it as an attempt to redirect public attention while families continue to grieve and questions about accountability remain unanswered.
The tragedy left scores dead and others unaccounted for. A Commission of Inquiry has been established to examine the vessel’s condition, its loading, regulatory oversight and the search-and-recovery response.
Mohamed renewed his demands for the removal of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar.
He maintained that national development should be measured by the daily experience of citizens—not by the number of new programmes announced.
