Minister of Housing and Lands, Michael Lashley (FP)????

The public has been assured that the Ministry of Housing and Lands is working to hand over additional title deeds and the next area scheduled to receive conveyances is the Ivy in St. Michael.

In a recent interview in response to several queries about the vesting process, Minister Michael Lashley and Acting General Manager at the National Housing Corporation (NHC), Lanette Napoleon-Young, advised that there were several issues that had to be tackled before conveyances could be distributed.????

"The vesting process is important in terms of giving absolute title to the prospective tenants.?? I think one of the stumbling blocks when… ??I became Minister of Housing, was that tenants in the housing units were invited to purchase the units but the NHC had no title – which was wrong.?? So, we actually rectified a number of them.?? For example, London Bourne Towers was built years ago but it is still not vested in the NHC.?? But, Cabinet has just agreed for a resolution to be introduced into Parliament, for London Bourne Towers to be vested in NHC," the Housing Minister explained.

Resolution of the vesting process would, he clarified, allow the NHC to legitimately transfer title to the tenants whether it be through Rent-To Own or by sale.??

Ms. Napoleon Young also spoke about another challenge they were having at the level of town planning requirements.??

"There have been a lot of illegal extensions over the years so that is one of the reasons why we are not in a position in all areas as yet to hand out conveyances to the various persons who are eligible…?? But, as it stands, the NHC is doing everything in its power, working alongside Town and Country Planning to get all matters resolved to ensure that Barbadians own those terrace units as soon as possible," Ms. Napoleon-Young said.??

Minister Lashley revealed that the units in the Ivy were vested in the NHC last year and at least 40 conveyances would soon be ready for tenants in that area who qualified under the 20-year Programme. He pledged: "We are now going through it… ??so to those tenants in the Pine who qualify, and tenants in other estates, we are moving systematically and then they will be delivered to those tenants.?? So we made a promise and it will be done".

In October 2008, the Minister delivered conveyances at Bonnetts in St. Michael and Lammings in St. Joseph.

lbayley@barbados.gov.bb

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