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Minister of Housing and Lands, Michael Lashley, in discussion with a National Housing Corporation (NHC) worker at Deacons housing area, while General Manager of the NHC. Lanette Napoleon-Young looks on.??
Some 320 units will be enhanced over an eight-month period in the Deacons housing area as part of Government???s electrical upgrade programme.
This was announced today by Minister of Housing and Lands, Michael Lashley, following a tour of the area.?? He was accompanied by Acting General Manager of the National Housing Corporation (NHC), Lanette Napoleon-Young; its Acting Deputy General Manager, Garvey Alleyne; Ministry officials and Member of Parliament for the area, Christopher Sinckler.
Minister Lashley explained that for some time, tenants and some owners of the units had complained of electrical problems.????
???It is not a good thing for residents to be complaining about electrical outages, power surges, their equipment being damaged as a result, and fires…. So, as a Government with a social conscience, I think it is our duty to do whatever is best in their interests,??? Mr. Lashley stated.??
Five million dollars have been allocated to upgrade the units.?? The pilot, which started in Bonnets in St. Michael in February, is, according to Mrs. Napoleon-Young, 99 per cent completed and was a good gauge of the requirements for larger estates.???? The remedial programme will begin shortly in the Ivy, St. Michael
While explaining that the upgrade was a condition of the 20-year unit transfer programme, the Housing Minister explained that the Corporation was working to have the units vested in the NHC so that title could be transferred to the tenants.?? Mr. Lashley stated that legally, the Corporation could not deliver letters of conveyance to the tenants who wanted to buy their units until Parliament approved the vesting of the units.?? That resolution will, he stated, go before Parliament in October.??
Minister Lashley also revealed that a committee had been set up within the NHC to fast track the transfer of these units and conveyances would soon be delivered in Bonnets in St. Michael and Lammings in St. Joseph.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for the area, Christopher Sinckler, described the improvements as ???a joyous day for the residents that will bring some level of certainty and calm. ????We???ve had some fires, which on investigation brought it right down to electrical issues and we???ve had several outages. ??So, I am happy for the residents.???
The work, being carried out by NHC workers, will bring the units in line with the requirements of the Government Electrical Engineering Department. lbayley@barbados.gov.bb