The Ministry of Housing, Lands and Maintenance is doing its part with its capital works project to put Barbadians back to work, cut Government’s rent expenditure and rejuvenate and repair crown properties.
Minister Dr. William Duguid disclosed this earlier today at the launch of the Ministry’s Rejuvenation and Repair of Crown Properties Project at a press conference held at the Gate House, old Barbados Water Authority Complex, The Pine, St. Michael.
He stated: “First, it puts people back to work. This is a primary important programme for the Government of Barbados to make sure we get as many people back to work as possible… Second… it is to reduce the rental cost to Government…. This particular department, we call the Gatehouse…will be used to house the Quantity Surveyors (QS) Department of the Ministry of Transport, Works and Maintenance.”
Dr. Duguid spoke of the environmental and health issues that this project would address in the process, stating that it would be able “to reduce the scourge of derelict properties in Barbados, starting with the Government’s because they can house rodents, infestations and mosquitoes”.
The Minister also disclosed that other projects were in the works and were at different stages of development. He said housing projects were started at Todds and Carpenters Glade, and others would soon be started at Rices and Applewhaites.
He noted that a road was being built at Concordia Gardens, and the Ministry was in the process of completing a road at Parish Land Extension.
Dr. Duguid added: “The Gatehouse Project is not a big project, but it is important to show the people of Barbados that we are back to work; we’re following the protocols, but we’re back to work and it is an example for the rest of the country that it is time to get back to work.”