Government committed to provision of homeownership

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas has reinforced the government’s commitment to providing homeownership opportunities for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Speaking on his weekly ‘Ask the PM’ radio show, Dr. Douglas said that upon the Labour Party’s re-election in 1995, it had decided to build in the educational and job opportunities made possible by the earlier Labour government of 1966 to 1980.

He noted that the government had always been bothered by the fact that ordinary persons in the Federation did not own their own homes. He expounded upon the benefits of homeownership and stated that owning a home meant more than simply having a house.

“When you own a home, every year that home is worth more than the year before. This is directly opposite to having a car or clothes, which become more worthless every day.

“While the value of a house steadily goes upward, the amount a person owes for it steadily goes downward until the day comes when they don’t have to pay a mortgage. At the end of their lives these persons will have something of real value to pass on to their children. Those children can then lead lives of greater security than their own parents did in the past. That is what my government wants for the people of this country. These are some of the reasons why we continue to make homeownership a top priority,” Douglas said.

The Prime Minister revealed that in the last 14 years, the Labour government had created 2 500 new homeowners through the National Housing Corporation. He emphasised that this was a direct contrast to the efforts of the previous People’s Action Movement administration from 1980 to 1995, under which a mere 250 new homeowners were created.

 “I must stress that the allocation of homes is not along party political lines. It does not happen under this government, and it is because it happened under the previous administration why I have indicated it will not happen under my watch as the leader of this country.

“I have seen too many of our people, especially those in my constituency [Number Six] suffer as a result of this misguided policy. It has not and will not happen under my leadership,” Douglas declared.