UNDOUBTEDLY housing development has been one of the notable successes of the current government and the evidence is there for everyone to see, contrary to what one idiotic columnist wrote recently that the massive ongoing countrywide construction is being funded by laundered money.
As usual, he failed to provide a single piece of evidence to support his wild blanket statement.
Throughout the scores of housing schemes established by the government, ordinary workers, single parents and even senior citizens have built their homes, a dream of every individual. This has been made possible because the government has not been only allocating house lots, but it also has been developing facilities in partnership with the private sector to provide low-cost housing.
So it is puzzling to understand how one could come to the conclusion that the construction boom is being funded by illegal money. Is the columnist saying that the tens of thousands of hard-working, ordinary people who have built their homes are involved in illegal activities?
In fact, many of the home-owners have been able to build their houses by obtaining loans from the private sector, through the commercial banks and other lending institutions.
The growing public sector/private sector partnership has been one of the positive characteristics that has evolved from the aggressive housing development programmes.
Recently, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Water, Emil Mc Garrell, applauded the partnership with the private sector.
“We see you as partners in development; and through the range of services that you provide to the people, you are joining us in serving the people and assisting them towards owning their own homes,” he offered.
He made this observation during one of the recent ‘One Stop Shop’ events at the Uitvlugt Community Centre, another commendable initiative in the housing drive which is aimed at responding to people’s problems and to providing pertinent information on housing.
The involvement of the private sector has not been limited to the lending institutions, as construction companies, hardware dealers, etc, have become involved and their businesses have been boosted.
The Permanent Secretary noted that representatives from most of the companies have been attending the ‘One Stop Shop’ events since the inception, and they come from several financial fraternities and hardware and construction companies.
Sales and Marketing Manager of Dura Villa Homes, Imtiaz Zafarali, one of the construction companies represented at the last ‘One Stop Shop’, pointed out that his involvement in the event has led to the growth of the company’s clientele and ultimately the growth of the business.
He revealed, “We have attended five events for this year, and we are able to assist persons in constructing their homes, whether low, middle or high income.
“Through this we have attracted over 400 customers and 200 have made applications, showing an interest in what the company has to offer.”
So while trying to sling mud at genuine development, the reality and facts clearly illustrate the opposite of what the “mud slingers” are trying to portray.