THE first 18 young professionals and other public servants of the mining town of Linden will soon be moving into their new homes, as part of the Government’s 1,000 homes project in Region 10.
The beneficiaries were given the opportunity to finalise their documentation process for the units on Friday, during an activity facilitated by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) at the Regional Housing Office in Linden. They were subsequently given a walkthrough of the homes allotted to them in Amelia’s Ward.
Kenisha Moore, a police officer was the first beneficiary to be given a tour of her new home. The young Lindener said, “this is a dream come true,” as she is finally able to have her own home thanks to the government’s housing initiative.
“I’m so happy. It’s been a long time I have been paying rent and I’m grateful and I would like to encourage my fellow young people to work hard and apply at housing, the process is not hard, it’s very smooth,” she said.
Jenelle Alphonso, a teacher, will now be able to provide a stable home for her children with the new two-bedroom elevated unit allocated to her.  “I can’t explain to you right now how happy I am to actually own my own home after waiting seven years,” she said.
For Leitisha Lynch, a doctor at the Linden Hospital Complex, the initiative is a life changing one for young people of Linden, who now have the opportunity to become homeowners.
While praising the government’s aggressive housing programme, Lynch said, “it’s always good when you can own something in your own country, and we here in Region 10 are very grateful with what the government is doing.”
Another doctor, LeAndre Hinds, said that the initiative is an excellent one where young people can access affordable homes through a simple process. “I feel it’s a great success, not only for the community, but for the government as well,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves, said that 22 more homes will be ready for handing over in the coming weeks.
He added that simultaneously, preparatory works have commenced to ensure that all the necessary amenities are available in the housing scheme. The sum of $400 million is being invested in those works.
“When that is done, you will see roads, medical facility, you will see schools. So, we just started here in Linden, and over the next few months and years, there will be much more to come, houses and other infrastructure.”
This is the delivery of a promise by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali back in January 2021, when he announced that the government would be constructing 1,000 housing units in Region 10.
The housing ministry subsequently met with a number of young professionals who indicated their interest in these homes. In the first phase of the project, the construction of 40 elevated and flat houses got underway.