BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE National Housing Corporation (NHC) and the Team Unity Government are showing no signs of slowing down on their promise to deliver bigger, better, more affordable houses to the people of St. Kitts.
Today, August 28 saw another 16 well deserving individuals receiving the keys to their brand new homes thanks to the ongoing hard work and efforts NHC and the government of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The People's Action Movement care-taker of Constituency Number Two, Ambassador Jonel Powell congratulated to new home owners at a key distribution ceremony held at Pine Gardens in Shadwell. He encouraged them to make their house a home and be grateful for the opportunity that they have been given to own a place to call their own.
“What they [NHC and Team Unity] are giving you is an opportunity to raise the standard of your living, an opportunity to own a part of this rock where you are from. An opportunity for safe shelter and a safe haven for you families. That is what I believe is most important. It’s not just giving you a house, and we know and we are confident that you will turn these houses into homes,” he stated.
He added that the area of land that is situated in the center of the Pine Gardens development will be used as a green space and park for the community.
General Manager of NHC, Elreter Simpson-Browne, in extending congratulations to the new home owners stated that NHC remains committed to families, noting that there were many individuals in St. Kitts who had land but were unable to have a house constructed on it, that is, until the Team Unity government came to their rescue.
“I would, at this point, commend the Unity government and by extension the Minister of Housing, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, because it was through their vision why we were able to, for the first time in the history, attempt a programme where 40 percent of the 300 houses to be constructed would be constructed on individual lots,” the General Manager explained.
She added that an additional two townhouses will be constructed in Pine Gardens as well as five more individuals will have their homes built on their lots.
Also giving congratulations to the 16 people receiving keys was one of the Directors of NHC, Marvin Edwards who said that the Minister of Housing has always been an activist for homeownership.
“Our Minister of Housing, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, has been a relentless advocate about housing. Part of the team division that he has established spoke to the government and NHC not only building houses but they are building homes, they are building communities and I think it is indisputable and nobody in this country can deny the fact that the government has been building and establishing new communities all around this country,” he said.
He thanked all of the artisans who were instrumental in the building of the homes, noting that the vision could not be turned into a reality without their skills and craftsmanship.
Minister of Human Settlement et al, Hon. Eugene Hamilton spoke passionately about the continued vision of the Team Unity Government and NHC to raise the standard of living for the people of St. Kitts by empowering them with better homes.
He encouraged the new home owners to honour their financial obligation and to care for the homes they were given.
“Spend your money on what is important, take care of your home, treat your neighbours and your friends right. Look after your family, bring your children up in the way they should go so that when they become old, they will never depart from it,” he said.
He assured the people in attendance that the Team Unity Government will not stop providing its people with homes anytime soon. He noted that more houses are presently being built and more will come in the near and far future because NHC and Team Unity are committed to making more people in St. Kitts homeowners.
Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris, extended his congratulations to the new home owners and urged them make their monthly mortgage payments so as to assist in freeing other from paying rent and elevate them to home ownership.
“It is indeed a new beginning and in some ways you can begin to sing your freedom song for you are free of all the house rent, you a free of the insensitive landlords, you are free of landlords who will not repair their homes and yes, they carry up their rents.
“You are free by this opportunity and by your regular payments, you ensure that those out there in your communities across the length and breadth of our country who are waiting for their fair share will have a fair chance of having a home because through your regular payments, the NHC will have the wherewithal to be able to do more,” the Prime Minister explained.
Prime Minister Harris encouraged those who received keys to be good, responsible homeowners “because with ownership come responsibility”.
He encouraged them to care for and regularly maintain their new homes. He also encouraged them to be at peace with their neighbours.
