Dear Editor,

Many years ago through political patronage, the poor were provided houses which never became homes, but which have become garrisons and

impoverished and run-down areas where crime is rampant.

Middle class people obtained houses which became homes, much of this through the National Housing Trust. This organisation now has funds, and as such the Government will be using those funds to assist in paying its debts — much of this arising out of our panache for things foreign; all of us poor, middle class and upper class. We all share in this problem of Government debt.

Going forward, how do we handle this debt situation of ours? The middle class still need houses, but the poor people, much more so, as is

evidenced by the level of squatting in the nation. A possible way out is for the NHT to buy from the Government, land and houses in the

garrison areas that are in disrepair and which through default many of them could become Government property. The NHT then could develop

policies and programmes to provide homes, not only for the middle class, but for the squatters, taking them from these squatting areas

and placing them on properly developed housing schemes. The garrison houses would be repaired, rented and/or sold.

There is one major thing that is the core of human and consequential national development — the security of a home in which one has a vested interest, and which arises through ones contribution to the society. One gives, contributes, and one receives. This would be the core of the policies and programmes in the use of these resources by the NHT.

One contributes in such endeavours as farming, ICT and soon now in the logistics centre that our nation will be introducing in this part of the world. It is not through political patronage, as is evidenced in all of the top developed nations of the world. Political patronage creates the ground in which corruption and crime flourishes. Selling to the NHT is more decent and equitable than taking from it.

Ed Johnson

edward.r.johnson@gmail.com