Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 26, 2016 (SKNIS): Minister of Human Settlement, the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, congratulated the staff of the National Housing Corporation (NHC) for its dedicated service to the institution, during his speech at the New Testament Church of God, Basseterre, to commence NHC’s week of activities, as it celebrates 20 years of national service.
“Some members have been working with the institution for twenty years – the lifetime of the institution and I want to say thank you and give them special praise for their loyalty, for their continuity for 20 years in the institution,” said Minister Hamilton. “To the Management and staff of NHC, I express my appreciation, and I admonish you to realize that all things come from God and to Him all thanks and praise must be given, therefore how appropriate it is that you would begin this week of celebration in prayer, praise and thanksgiving to the Most High God for bringing you this far.”
Minister Hamilton recited Philippians 2:3, which reads “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather in humility value others above yourself”, stating that these words “aptly describe the work that is done by the National Housing Cooperation”.
He recalled the birth of the National Housing Corporation.
“During the time of Minister Harris’ [Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris] sojourn as Minister of Housing back in the 1990’s, it was under his leadership that the NHC was born,” he said. “So for whatever good or bad with which the institution will be credited, I think you will know that Dr. Harris will feel a bit of responsibility as a result of this institution starting under his watch.”
The Minister of Human Settlement made mention of the number of persons who has benefitted from housing programmes carried out by NHC thus far and said that more is yet to benefit.
“For this year alone, eighty four families have embarked on new journeys, having moved into their own homes in Lodge Village, Pine Gardens, Taylors, Green Tree, and Buckley’s,” said Minister Hamilton. “And I can assure this nation that over the next two to three years we intend to fulfill the expectations of another four hundred persons under this Unity Administration. We expect to build in every settlement where land is available and the applicants can meet the criteria as laid out in the act governing the corporation. We give God thanks for being able to meet those expectations in the first term and we urge all who are currently customers and those who will become customers to honour their commitments to the institution so that when you meet your commitments to the institution we can honour the demands of future home owners through NHC.”
