The ‘noise’ in parliament this week about government’s plan to satisfy a perennial demand for housing generated a feeling a déjà vu. There was a time the opening sentence of the blog would have replaced the word noise with debate. In the form of democracy we proudly practice, Barbados finds itself in an uncomfortable place with no elected member of parliament forming the opposition. What does means for our future democracy is an unfolding story.
In 2024 we have to listen to talking heads from government explaining an idiotic housing strategy of approving large tracts of land to plant concrete. The outcome is that a picturesque landscape of the recent past that use to define what an island paradise should look like is has transformed to a shanty, obsocky looking place through the eyes of many including the blogmaster. Given the current trajectory a future Barbados will eventually morph to a concrete jungle.
The blogmaster is convinced all politicians work to satisfy deep pocket interest always lurking in the shadows. The blogmaster has observed how both political parties have operated over time and there is no different approach to how arable land is allocated to non agricultural use. The result of an idiotic approach is being manifested in inadequate distribution of water, poor public transportation, twenty four seven congestion on the byways and byways to mention a few.
We are operating in dangerous times where to read an interesting article is dismissed by a majority because it is 3000 words, the article must be squeezed into a graphic with 100 words to get traction.
The blogmaster has come to a conclusion our educated people in academia should he held responsible for where we find ourselves. Academia by definition should be percieved by the public as an informed and independent voice. There is little respect for academicians by too many Barbadians.
BLP: More than 1 300 houses built
THE BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY (BLP) GOVERNMENT is not boasting, says Minister of Housing Dwight Sutherland, but it has already constructed more than 1 300 houses in the past three years and more are on stream.
He said it took the Democratic Labour Party ten years to deliver about 1 400.
Sutherland said the BLP’s “ambitious targets” set by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was one of the driving forces behind the thrust to provide homes for Barbadians. She said with more than 20 000 applications for homes, there is a no reason why the target should not 10 000.
“Those of us who have gone to certain places will know, and who have worked for companies, will tell you that all companies set ambitious targets, what we call stretch targets, so that even if we fall short of achieving our target, we would not fall short of satisfying the demands of the housing sector or the demands of whatever sector we are managing within whichever sector it is, whether it is public service or private service,” he said.
Sutherland led debate on a resolution vesting five state lands at Holder’s Hill, St James, identified for housing. He provided a comprehensive update on the projects being undertaken by the Ministry of Housing through the National Housing Corporation (NHC) in collaboration with private sector partners.
At Bullens, St James, Sutherland said there were 28 completed light gauge steel frame houses under the East-West Project already allocated to families and there were foundations for eight more in the form of two quadruplexes, for a total of 36.
In addition to the houses, Bellens will be the site of a children’s homes modelled on the format of the Nightengale home, catering to children age 12 and up. There will also be a small entrepreneurship centre.
Sutherland said overall 81 East-West houses were completed. In addition to the 36 at Bullens, there are 12 each at Haggatt Hall, St Michael and Coconut Hall, St Lucy; as well as 16 each at White Park Road, St Michael and Sargeant’s in Christ Church. There are 22 foundations to yield 27 units and more coming on stream at River Crescent in St Philip and Concordia North to complete the 150.
The Minister said the NHC’s joint venture programme was under way at West Terrace and Durants, St James; Atlantic Breeze, Coverley and St Bartholomew in Christ Church; Brererton, St George and Hanson/ Lower Burney in St Michael to deliver 1 300 homes.
In St James, 35 out of 71 units are being built; 75 units were handed over at Atlantic Breeze, there are 50 houses in various stages of construction in Phase 2 scheduled to finish in January 2025. Phase 3 will start right after for a total of 267.
At Brereton, 43 solutions have started and should be finished by August 2025. Thirty units are to be built at Coverley and 35 at St Bartholomew, while 40 acres have been provided at Lower Burney to ease the densely populated Pinelands, St Michael and surrounding communities.
Construction at Vineyard, St Philip and 45 housing solutions identified at Allen View, St Thomas were both slated to start in 2025 taking the target closer to 1 500. (SAT)
Source: Nation
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