16 of those homes were allocated to families at Pine Gardens, Shadwell in Central Basseterre earlier today, Tuesday, August 28, during a handing over ceremony. That ceremony was attended by members of the Federal Cabinet including Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris; Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Shawn Richards; the Honourable Eugene Hamilton and the Honourable Vincent Byron. Also in attendance were People’s Action Movement (PAM) caretaker for Central Basseterre, Ambassador Jonel Powell; Ambassador Sydney Osbourne, staff of the National Housing Corporation and residents of Central Basseterre.
Ambassador Powell, in offering congratulatory remarks to the 16 new homeowners, commended the Team Unity administration and NHC for empowering citizens and residents of St. Kitts through homeownership.
“They’re not as a government just giving you a house because you have to pay for it and we expect you to pay for it and we know you will pay for it. What they are giving you is an opportunity—an opportunity to raise your standard of living, an opportunity to own a part of this rock where you are from, an opportunity for safe shelter and safe haven for you and your families and that is what I believe is most important,” Ambassador Powell said to the 16 new homeowners, which included a member of the Spanish speaking community.
Prime Minister Harris said Tuesday’s key allocation ceremony represented yet another step by his Team Unity administration in consecrating the future of citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The prime minister said, “Today again we have come with a message of hope and assurance that the tomorrow for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis must be better than today.”
As he delivered the featured remarks, the St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister said, “It is very easy to become impatient, it is very easy to say ‘they taking so long’ and yet today there is no diminution in the joy you must feel that at long last your time has come and so congratulations to all of you.”
Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris further encouraged the new homeowners at Pine Gardens and the various other communities across St. Kitts to honour their regular payment obligations to the NHC “to ensure that those out there in your communities, throughout the length and breadth of the country who are waiting for their fair share to 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.”
Of the 16 homes allocated on Tuesday, five were built on private lands through NHC’s Building Assistance Programme while the others were built in clusters.
Minister of Human Settlement, the Honourable Hamilton, revealed at the key allocation ceremony that the Unity Housing Solutions Programme is continuing across St. Kitts, with new housing developments expected to commence soon in Conaree, at Wellington Road, in Sandy Point, Saddlers and St. Peter’s.
