Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 14, 2018 (SKNIS): Deputy Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Constituency #5, Honourable Shawn Richards, is delivering on his promise to raise the standard of living for residents of Sandy Point and its surrounding areas by providing quality, yet affordable housing.
Sixteen (16) houses were built in Stadium View, Sandy Point, and fifteen (15) were distributed on June 13 under the Unity Housing Solutions Programme.
These houses are more spacious, more affordable, and have better roofing—the roofs are made of galvalume.
Speaking at the key handing over ceremony, on Wednesday, June 13, in Sandy Point, Deputy Prime Minister Richards said that he was especially delighted that the contractors who worked on building the houses are from Sandy Point. He added that the contractors were greatly empowered to be a part of the process of building the homes for fellow residents. He noted that more jobs will be created after the homes are built, as there will be need for painting and landscaping services.
“There are more houses to be built in Sandy Point. Therefore, it means that the empowerment process will continue,” he said.
The recipients, without the assistance of government and the National Housing Corporation (NHC), perhaps, would not have owned a house, said the honourable deputy prime minister.
“That is what NHC and government must be about, providing for those who are less fortunate and can’t necessarily provide for themselves,” said Deputy Prime Minister Richards. “There are those of us who can go to the bank, but the fact is that there are those of us that the government must be able to lend a helping hand—that is what this Team Unity Government is committed to doing on behalf of the people.”
The deputy prime minister noted the historic aspect of the delivery of the homes.
“It is historic because you are the first set of persons in Sandy Point to be receiving homes under a Team Unity Administration,” he said. “Perhaps it is important that the houses are located close to Brimstone Hill, a historic area right here in Sandy Point. Even in terms of the well that was right here, it’s being preserved as part of the history.”
The government allocated $50 million from Social Security to fulfil its mandate of building 300 homes for the citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, as part of a first phase under what is dubbed Unity Housing Solutions.
