Ten Warapoka families receive new homes

Ten families from the village of Warapoka, in the Moruca sub-region, will now enjoy a better quality of life, having received keys to their brand new elevated timber home under the Hinterland Housing Program.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, on Saturday, handed over the keys to the families during an outreach in the region.

On the occasion, Minister Croal congratulated the homeowners, noting that this was yet another demonstration of the Government’s commitment to citizens.

“This is a start for you. You can expand on this. You now have a three-bedroom home for you and your family,” he emphasized.

This is an investment of $39 million being injected into the village economy. So far, 40 houses have been handed over to the beneficiaries under this program.

Some 125 out of 400 of these houses have been completed in Kokerite, Warapoka, Haimaruni, Tiger Pond, Lethem, Yakarinta, Nappi, Crashwater and Rupunau.

This project has not only generated employment opportunities for residents but also provided disposable income in their households.

This housing program continues to improve the lives of many indigenous residents in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine. Over the years, the village council has received some $50 million in various grants, he said.

Similarly, investments are being made in the water sector to increase treated water coverage to 100 percent in the hinterland regions by the end of next year.

Minister Croal also used the opportunity to highlight the strides made in the water sector.

He told residents that in 2020, access to potable water stood at 45 percent in the hinterland regions. Access to potable water in Region One, for instance, stood at 38 percent.

Now, access to treated water in the region stands at 75 percent and is expected to increase by 92 percent by year-end. Minister Croal revealed that contracts totaling $52.8 million were recently awarded to SRT Constructing General Supplies to drill new wells in Santa Cruz, Warapoka, and Kokerite

The minister was accompanied by Regional Chairman, Brentnol, Regional Vice Chairman, Annansha Peters, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr. Sewchand, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Browne, Toshao of Warapoka, Jeremy Boyle.

Also, the Minister and team handed over tablets to a few children while in some women were also lifted tokens for Mother’s day.