We need an upgrade, too, PM
Dear Editor,
During Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s contribution to the 2019/2020 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 19, the Jamaica Information Service ( JIS) reported his announcement that, “The National Housing Trust (NHT) is to undertake infrastructure upgrading at 49 housing schemes across the island at a cost of more than $2.5 billion.” No doubt, this would be in keeping with Vision 2030 National Outcome #15 – Sustainable Urban and Rural Development – the goals of which are to “ensure safe, sanitary, and affordable shelter for all”.
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development posted on its website on June 22, 2021 that the Vaughansfield Housing Scheme in St James has been earmarked for an approximately $35-million infrastructure upgrade project by the Government. This forms part of a multi-billion dollar national programme to upgrade infrastructure of some 100 housing schemes across the island that were constructed in the first 10 years of the National Housing Trust (NHT).
I am hereby appealing to you, Prime Minister Holness, to consider revising the criteria of NHT houses constructed in the first decade of its existence as this results in the exclusion of schemes such as Proprietors’ Strata Plan (PSP) #433, which was purchased from late developer and proprietor John Cooke by the National Housing Trust (NHT) some three decades ago and consists of 48 units, the majority of which are 26.75 sq meters (288 sq feet). The NHT informed us that, because they did not build our scheme, we do not quality for an upgrade.
This appears to be a travesty of justice.
Is PSP#433 a bastard scheme? Our apartments are among the smallest in Jamaica and there is land space that can accommodate extension by another six feet. There is an owner who places a mattress on the floor in order to sleep and leans it up when awake to manoeuvre the limited space. The car park is desperately in need of resurfacing, our electrical systems are outdated, inter alia.
In addition, I believe that our scheme can qualify as a pilot for the national identification system (NIDS) programme. This would assist in identifying delinquent owners, who have been missing in action for many years and have contributed to us being in this precarious position.
Mr Prime Minister, PSP#433 needs your tears.
Joan Francis
ajfrancis08@gmail.com
