Housing and land Minister highlights successes and challenges |03 October 2022
Minister Rangasamy
Given the high expectation from the public with regard to land and housing, the Minister for Land and Housing, Billy Rangasamy, said that his ministry, through government, remains committed to helping people in need of a house or piece of land.
Minister Rangasamy made the comment on Thursday afternoon during an interview with the press on activities that his ministry has done or is doing with regard to housing and land distribution during the past two years that he has been in office.
Minister Rangasamy said that with the demand for 3500 houses and 1200 plots of land in the country, the ministry has had to review and modernise its strategic plan, policies and procedures to meet the demand to provide affordable houses and land for the different groups within the society.
He added that while it was a challenge to entertain housing applications with housing and land in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ministry, albeit with budgetary constraints, in 2021 continued to work to accomplish the previous planned 24x24 social housing projects in the districts across the country of which many families have received keys to their new homes.
He stated that the ministry, also in 2021, started some new housing projects in various districts across the country which will be completed in 2023.
Minister Rangasamy stated that the ministry also has plans for housing projects on Ile Aurore, Anse Etoile, which will include some 1500 housing units.
He noted that the ministry is aiming for sustainability in all of its housing and land bank projects with the aim of cutting costs to assist more people with a house or with a piece of land.
He said that all houses built for the people by government are of international standard and people have to learn how to use the spaces available.
Other accomplishments by the ministry includes the introduction by end of 2021, of the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency, dedicated to handling priority infrastructure projects within government from conception up until completion, and the introduction of a new Physical Planning Act which came in force this year and which has given the Seychelles Planning Authority more powers of enforcement.
The new act has also given the authority more freedom in its decision making without the influence of the minister as he (Minister Rangasamy) no longer sits on the appeals board as was the case in the past.
Minister Rangasamy stated that the ministry is putting emphasis on hard work and productivity, among other work ethics, for better service delivery done with professionalism, among its workers, in line with the results-based management policy introduced by government.
He added that the leaders within the ministry are being empowered to take ownership of their respective departments with a business-like approach.
He said that a customer service centre, equipped with regional liaison officers, will be set up soon to facilitate clients’ queries and follow up of dossiers.
The minister said that apart from financing from the government, the ministry has also had financial assistance from friendly donor countries to assist in the construction of houses in the country.
He added that the ministry will also be indulging in the construction of 250 self-finance condominiums at regional level across the country, along with the help of private sector, for graduates and young professionals.
He stated that the first phase of the mid-range condos will be launched on Praslin during the launch of this year’s Habitat Week today (Monday October 3) on that island.
Other places indentified for the time being for the construction of the mid-range condos are Au Cap, Anse Royale and Barbarons.
He said there are 1000 applicants on the list for condominiums.
Speaking on the land bank situation, Minister Rangasamy said while the ministry has made few land allocations to successful applicants recently, it is in the process of re-assessing its strategy in relation to the cost of a piece of land in the land bank, to break even with the cost of infrastructure.
He noted that it has cost between R350,000 and R500,000 to develop a parcel in the land bank which applicants are paying less through subsidy by government which bears all the over cost in infrastructure and which is not acceptable.
He added that future land applicants will have to provide assurances that they have the means to develop the land within a five-year period.
He said that the ministry has identified various sites across the country for land bank projects.
Minister Rangasamy stated that the ministry is reviewing its vulnerable repair scheme to assist clients with more financing to repair their homes.
He noted that clients who are contributing to the Home Savings Scheme will get priority in the allocation of houses and land from the ministry.
He added that while government is looking to provide more affordable loans to clients through the Housing Finance Company (HFC), the ministry will be looking to hold talks with the private financial sector on the possibility of providing more affordable loans, with affordable interest rates, to individuals who want to construct his or her own house.
He launched an appeal to residents in housing estates to maintain their homes well, to live in harmony and to take ownership of their estates to prevent anti-social activities from happening.
He said that the ministry will be working with other stakeholders to promote good neighbourliness in the communities.
He also launched an appeal to housing applicants to make it their responsibility to continue to do their payment with regard to the home saving scheme and to plan for their families.
Patrick Joubert