Residents of Corriverton turned up in numbers on Friday to engage with Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali as he outlined a series of developmental programmes that the government will soon roll out in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The engagement forms part of an intensive two-day outreach led by the head of state, as part of the government’s drive to engage with residents frequently.

Housing developments

President Ali informed residents that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is placing heavy emphasis on people-centred housing development to meet the rising demand of Region Six.

The goal, he stated, is to deliver house lots to every single applicant in the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) backlog in the coming five years.

“We want to bring the demand and supply to zero. That is, we must deliver houselots to every single person who have an application in the system over the next five years,” he told the gathering in Skeldon.

In the meantime, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority, major investments are being made to open new housing schemes in areas such as Moleson Creek, Palmyra, and along new and planned road networks.

Land regularisation

As a result of the outreach that commenced on Thursday, President Ali said land regularisation has been identified as a key issue.

Many communities still have unresolved land ownership challenges, including privately owned areas and longstanding disputes.

To fast-track solutions, the government will establish a special land regularisation mechanism involving the Attorney General’s Chambers and independent Attorneys to move residents swiftly toward legal ownership and land titles.

Expanded access to tertiary education

Another initiative highlighted by the president includes the expansion of high-demand programmes in engineering and medicine in Region Six within the coming weeks.

Agriculture

With more young farmers in the region, President Ali said that tens of thousands of acres will be opened up for utilisation of new farm-to-market roads, land surveys, and improved drainage and irrigation.

Support for small businesses

Support for small businesses will also expand significantly with the establishment of the Guyana Development Bank, which will offer interest-free and collateral-free loans to entrepreneurs.

This bank is expected to be operational by next year and is expected to have budgetary allocations in the 2026 National Budget.

According to the president, beyond financing, the bank will provide financial literacy training, business coaching, and technical support; measures that are designed to help small businesses succeed and grow.

Enhanced services

Additionally, the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation will collaborate with Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to enhance customer service and operational efficiency.

To ensure services are up to par, President Ali said, “One Guyana” Service Centres will be developed across all ten regions, featuring a national help desk.

Meanwhile, the Local Government and Region Development Ministry will investigate issues affecting the market vendors of Skeldon.

“I want to understand why the market vendors of Skeldon, are only allowed after 4 o’clock to take their produce in or to take their goods in the market,” he noted.

This he underscored, “must be fixed. And if somebody is standing in the way of fixing it, we must remove that barrier.”

Region Six is poised to become an economic pillar in Guyana’s transformation, and President Ali assured that his government is focused on delivering this to the people of the region.