By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
— The Ministry of Housing and Water has been granted a massive $159.4 billion allocation for 2026, as Minister Collin Croal announced a sweeping “restructuring” of the Projects Department to address mounting public outcry over construction quality and illegal land transactions.
The Committee of Supply approval followed intense questioning by Opposition MP Sherod Duncan, who flagged systemic weaknesses in the ministry’s ability to monitor its rapidly expanding housing portfolio.
Quality Control: “Weekly Reviews” and New Staff
Acknowledging that he is “not naïve” to the surge in complaints regarding the structural integrity of government-built houses, Minister Croal outlined a new oversight framework.
- Project Department Expansion: The Ministry is currently recruiting additional Clerks of Works and engineering technicians to provide daily supervision on construction sites.
- University Pipeline: In a joint effort with the Ministry of Public Works, the government is fast-tracking the recruitment of newly graduated engineers from the University of Guyana to build long-term technical capacity.
- Mandatory Inspections: Reviews of construction progress are now conducted weekly, shifting from the previous monthly cycle to catch defects before units are completed.
Clamping Down on Fraud and “Middlemen”
Fraud within the housing sector remains a critical challenge, with reports of unauthorized persons “selling” house lots or fast-tracking applications for a fee.
The Enforcement Strategy:
- Leadership: The Ministry’s Enforcement Department is now headed by a former Acting Commissioner of Police to ensure professional investigative standards.
- Employee Accountability: All ministry staff are now legally bound by a new Code of Conduct to deter internal collusion in fraudulent land deals.
- The Witness Gap: Minister Croal admitted that many fraud investigations stall because victims are reluctant to provide formal statements. He urged the public to bypass “middlemen” and report irregularities directly to the Guyana Police Force.
$159.4 Billion: Where the Money Goes
The approved budget aims to address a significant backlog of more than 75,000 pending housing applications and regularize informal settlements.
| Allocation | Amount | Purpose |
| Land Acquisition | $2.275 Billion | Purchase of new lands for housing scheme expansion. |
| Squatter Regularization | $1.1 Billion | Upgrading and formalizing informal settlements nationwide. |
| Infrastructure | $100+ Billion | Roads, bridges, and utilities (water/electricity) for new schemes. |
The “Red Road” Context
The ministry’s push for regularization comes amid ongoing tensions. Recently, residents of Red Road in Sophia protested government removal orders, claiming they were offered house lots that lacked basic infrastructure and carried “unaffordable” price tags of up to $1.7 million. Minister Croal maintained that the ministry’s goal is to transition all citizens into legal, serviced communities, though he acknowledged that the pace of infrastructure development must accelerate.
