Junior Minister of Communities with responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson, has announced that the Government is now exploring the possibility of building turnkey houses for the squatters of Lombard Street, Georgetown.
Ministers Patterson and Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence were on a recent visit to the community where they met residents and listened to their concerns.
Speaking during the visit, which was made to help improve the lives of the squatters, Patterson said: “We are looking at the possibility of building core homes so that when we remove the people from here, we’re going to put them in a house rather than (giving them a piece of) land.”
Minister Patterson said that the squatter settlement “cannot be regularised (so) we have to relocate the persons” living there.
Several issues were raised including the lengthy process when applying for house lots which affects the squatters, but Minister Lawrence told the residents that such issues would be ironed out.
Residents were informed about the Government’s desire to upgrade their living standards by ensuring they have better homes, where they would be able to “enjoy the good life” promised by the David Granger Administration.
The residents, following the visit, were elated at the news that they were being considered by the Government. Phillip Chase, the organiser of the meeting, said he was “satisfied that both Ministries are assisting in their situation”.
Anita Dash, another resident who has been living there for some 20 years, lauded the Ministers’ visit as “a good initiative” between the Housing and Public Health Ministries to assist them in acquiring better homes and improving their living conditions.
