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When we receive a new house lot through the Government of Guyana, it is easy to look at the open space and imagine how we can utilise every inch of it. We want the driveway, the concrete walkway, the veranda, the outdoor patio and perhaps a nice, paved yard. We want our homes to feel complete. But as Guyana continues to build new housing communities, perhaps we should pause and ask ourselves: does everything really need to become concrete?
The Ministry of Housing’s Agreement of Sale that we sign once we have received a government house lot provides an important reminder. It requires purchasers to reserve at least 15% of a third of the property as green space, to help with stormwater management and maintain the integrity of the area’s drainage network. This contractual requirement reflects something we already know very well as Guyanese: grass helps protect our environment.
When heavy rain falls, grass, soil, trees and other vegetation help absorb and slow down water saturation in the land. Concrete cannot do the same. The more we build using concrete all around our homes, the more rainwater has to run across those surfaces before reaching drains and other parts of the drainage system. On one property, that difference may seem small. But think about hundreds of houses in a new housing scheme. When every yard becomes heavily paved, those small decisions add up.
This is why keeping our green yards matters. Grassy areas can help with drainage, provide shade and make our homes more comfortable. In a country where the heat can be intense, having trees and vegetation around our homes can make a real difference to how a neighbourhood feels. Many of us grew up around homes with mango trees, guava trees, flowers, herbs, vegetables and plenty of grass. The yard was part of the home. It was where children played, where families gathered, where food was grown and where people sat in the evenings. As our communities become more developed, we should not lose that connection to the land simply because we have more money, more concrete and more ways to cover the green.
This does not mean that we should abandon concrete. We need driveways, walkways, foundations and other practical spaces. But, we do not have to pave everything. A house can have a driveway and a garden. It can have a veranda and trees. It can have a walkway and grass. A modern home should have both.
As Guyana builds more houses, we should think carefully about what we want our new neighbourhoods to look and feel like. Do we want rows of homes surrounded almost entirely by concrete, or communities where houses sit among trees, gardens and open green spaces? We have an opportunity to make room for both development and nature.
So, when the house is built and you start looking at that remaining piece of land, resist the urge to cover it all. Plant a tree. Keep some grass. Grow a garden. Leave some soil exposed. Give rainwater somewhere to go.
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