-promises better and improved services
THE Ministry of Housing and Water, over the years, has implemented successful initiatives to ensure the provision of basic services to sustain investment in the housing sector. These have ensured the dramatic transformation of the sector and the rapid development of houses across the country. As many as 80,000 houselots have been distributed by the PPP/Civic administration, testimony of the emphasis placed on this sector.

This year, to ensure that this transformation continues, the Ministry will be recommencing its ‘One Stop Shop’ outreach to make available more houselots for citizens across the country.

The Government Information Agency reported that key targets will include the allocation of approximately 5,500 houselots and the processing and distribution of 3,750 land titles. In addition, community multipurpose buildings will be completed at Westminster, Cummings Lodge and Glasgow to serve as supporting facilities to complement the infrastructural works completed in these areas.

Land Development and Administrative Manager of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Denise King-Tudor, during an interview with GINA, said of the 5, 000 lots which will be allocated, 80 percent will be given to low-income earners.

Tudor noted that one of the Ministry’s activities is the ‘One Stop Shop’ where persons will be given the opportunity to process their applications, titles and transports.

“We would like to put the public on notice that we will be out in the communities in all the regions once again this year…We ask of you to set things in place in terms of having the financial aspect…so that when we come to your area to process your applications you will be ready to start the process rolling when we allocate your lots.

“This year is going to be a tremendous year and we are setting ourselves in place to offer you a better service than what we would have offered last year,” Tudor stated.

To further increase occupancy rate in housing areas, the programme will revisit several areas including Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and Ten.

Tudor is urging allottees who have been waiting to have their allocations to utilise the opportunity of the service which will be offered by the Ministry in the coming months.

In 2009, approximately $7.5B was expended on the housing sector resulting in a construction boom and increase in occupancy rate.  One notable contributor to this performance was the revival of the One Stop Shop programme which benefited over 10,000 people since it allowed for improved response time for the processing of applications, interviews and allocation of houselots. During that year, about 4,334 house lots and 4,257 land titles were processed and allocated respectively.