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(Charlestown, Nevis, March 15, 2007) Nevis Premier, Hon. Joseph Parry declared that, "the new land and housing amendments are in the best interest of the people of Nevis". Premier Parry made the statement while addressing the Nevis National House of Assembly on Thursday, March 15, 2007.
The Nevis Island Government Loan guarantee Amendment Ordinance 2007, which was passed in the house, was presented by Minister of Land and Housing, the Hon. Robelto Hector in an assembly that lasted 3 hours.
The Ordinance will assist civil servants up to $275,000 and non- established workers a maximum of $75,000, to buy land and own a home through an EC$10 million loan from the St. Kitts- Nevis Social Security Board. ~~adz:Right~~
Under the amendment, a committee would be put in place to approve applications and The St. Kitts and Nevis Development Bank would execute the loans which the Nevis Island Administration would guarantee.
"This will be the first time in Nevis history that such a scheme will be set to assist civil servants become land and house owners at a commercial interest rate of eight percent. The Opposition have refused to help the poor, but I urge civil servants to hold on, help is on the way," said Hon. Robelto Hector.
"Once a civil servant or non-established worker has worked for government for more than 5 years and are a first time buyer they will be able to purchase land at $3.75 a square foot, this would be a substantial reduction in land ownership. Many civil servants who has worked long and hard has never seen beneficial rewards, but this government promises to assist them as best as we could," said Minister Hector.
Mr.Parry was of the view that this is an plan that should gain the support and participation of every Nevisian - whatever their party support may be. In an interview recently, Premier Parry noted that making land and housing ownership affordable is not a new concept by the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), since the early 1970's the party has empowered Nevisian's to own a piece of the rock.
While in the house, Premier Parry talked about the Newfound Development stating that the land at Pinney's was transferred close to elections and papers where signed haphazardly by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) in an effort to establish a hotel on the island by a British hotel company that later went bankrupt. ~~adz:Left~~
Premier Parry later declared that the Nevis Reformation Party led Nevis Island Administration has since negotiated with the Newfound Group to gain a Starwood brand "W" hotel on the island, a vocational training school for Tourism and Hospitality and receive back 172 acres of land from the original 600 acres of land, 20 years free concession instead of the original 30 years, 200 yards of beach and all the historical sites given away by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM).
After Mr. Parry declared all that he and his cabinet had negotiated for with the Newfound Development, there was a thunderous applause from the gallery, to which President of the House, Mrs. Marjorie Morton asked that there be no more uproar from the audience. |
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