ST JAMES, Jamaica—Flagstaff, St James resident, Cedric Grizzle, suffered a devastating setback recently when he lost his house to arson.

But with the help of the Government’s New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), he is now the owner of a brand-new home.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, formally handed over the one-bedroom unit to Grizzle in Flagstaff on January 31.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Grizzle recounted how his home was burned down, and with it his savings.

“If my house hadn’t burned down, I would be better off than how I am right now. I had a little money that I was saving; I put it under the rug in the house and all of it burned up. I was saving to buy a little van to carry my coconuts and canes that I grew,” he shared, noting that the loss caused him significant inconveniences prior to his getting a new home.

Grizzle thanked the people of Jamaica, Holness and Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (West) and Member of Parliament for St James Southern, Homer Davis, for their part in ensuring he got his new home.

For his part, Holness said the Government intends to shorten the NSHP processes, in order to expedite the handover of units.

“What we are doing in the NSHP is to shorten the bureaucratic time, shorten the processes through innovation, through applying different methodologies that will deliver the houses very quickly,” he stated.

“Mr Grizzle, having waited a year, is a happy man. That year of sacrifice and patience has paid off, and you can now enjoy this unit with the convenience and safety for the rest of your life,” Holness added.

Meanwhile, the prime minister commended the citizens of Flagstaff for being “progressive… hard-working people, who are building their community”, adding that “they are also very happy to see a member of their community, who suffered a misfortune, having this great fortune happen to [him]”.

-JIS