Another housing project launched
L.K. Hewlett
Editor- SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - MINISTER of Housing, Agriculture, Fisheries and Cooperatives Hon. Cedric Liburd Tuesday announced the launch of the SSMC Housing Assistance Project which was designed to assist former SSMC workers in becoming home owners.Liburd divulged some of the details of the new housing project during his first media briefing for 2008, saying some 200 ex-SSMC workers would benefit from it.
“The SSMC Housing Assistance Project was launched on February 7 with the first house now being constructed in Conaree. About 200 former SSMC workers will benefit from this project, which will be funded by US$10m, made possible through the Petro-Caribe Agreement. The government is committed to providing affordable housing to these persons and this is part of that package,” Liburd said.
He articulated that certain criteria would have to be met in order for persons to qualify for housing under this latest project, chief of which is the stipulation that the person would have had to be employed by SSMC for at least 20 consecutive years prior to the closure of the industry.
“…Aside from being employed by SSMC for 20 consecutive years, the person must not have held any managerial position and the applicant must be a first time home owner. So far 48 homes have been approved for construction on various parts of the island.”~~Adz:Right~~
Speaking exclusively to SKNVibes.com, the Housing Minister revealed that payment for the homes would be mortgage-type financing where the homeowners would pay monthly installments to the National Housing Corporation (NHC). Liburd said the 600-square foot homes would be built on standard 4 000-square foot plots of land and cost EC$97 000. He explained that for those persons who already owned land, homes constructed on these properties would cost EC$85 000.
“Payment for these homes would be made at a very low interest rate of about five percent. We are encouraging all ex-SSMC workers who qualify to own one of these homes to visit NHC and be interviewed. This is a part of the government’s ongoing commitment to ensure that ex-SSMC workers become homeowners.”
