Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis presented first time homeowners with the keys to their homes in the settlements of Spring City and Crossing Rocks. Pictured from left are the Minister of the Environment and Housing Romauld Ferreira; Janice Miller, Permanent Secretary, the Ministry of the Environment and Housing; Sinclair King, homeowner; Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis; Okita Parks, homeowner; James Albury, Member of Parliament for South Abaco; LaFrance Williams, Ministry of the Environment and Housing; and Kyle Johnson, homeowner. (BIS Photo/Yontalay Bowe)
By Morgan Adderley
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
ABACO – Three homeowners in the Spring City subdivision received their keys from the prime minister on Friday.
At a special ceremony, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced that all the homes in that area have been completed, and noted the extension of the serviced lots initiative through the Central Pines subdivision.
Conveyances and/or deeds are now available for residents of the Crossing Rock area who never received these for their properties, he said.
The three new homeowners were all under the age of 30, and they expressed overwhelming joy at reaching this milestone in the home-owning process.
The housing provision for Spring City was originally set at 56 homes in 2011, according to Dr Minnis, who recounted the area's history during his remarks.
However, he said only 38 were were built.
The completion of the remaining 18 houses was planned for 2013, and set to be funded with a loan by the National Insurance Board, but it never materialized, Dr Minnis continued.
"Though the funds for completion were disbursed, none of the houses were completed," he said. "The houses were left in various stages of completion, but with no funds to complete the homes.
"Sadly, all of the funding for this project was paid out, but with no financial means of completing the 18 houses as all the funds from NIB were depleted."
Subsequently, Dr Minnis said the ministry asked the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation (BMC) to use its funds to complete the houses. He added BMC hired "reputable contractors" who effectively completed the work.
Dr Minnis also addressed the extension of the serviced lots initiative, which was launched last year with the intention of giving Bahamians access to affordable homes by way of the transfer of land title to qualified candidates in areas across the country, including Central Pines.
He said development for Phase 1 of the project for this subdivision "far exceeded the government's plans" and thus will be extended. He added 60 lots are now available for sale.
Regarding Crossing Rock, Dr Minnis said during a visit last year he learned that some residents of the area never received conveyances or deeds to property they purchased and constructed homes. He said at the time he promised to resolve this issue and made good on this vow yesterday, announcing that residents can collect their deeds and conveyances from the Office of the Prime Minister in Marsh Harbour, Abaco.
Sinclair King, 23, was one of the recipients of the Spring City keys on Friday.
"It means success," she told The Tribune following the ceremony, adding that she has been engaging in the home owning process for a little over a year.
Ms King, who described the initiative as a "relief", noted that she works three jobs and attends school full time. She added the initiative is a help to young people.
Kyle Johnson, 28, described the experience as another step towards independence.
"It's been really tough and rough and at the same time it's exciting," he said. "It was a lot of emotions just mixed up in one."
Comments
TalRussell 5 years, 5 months ago
Yes, yes anything comrade Imperialist red shirts cabinet offers native populace comes with widespread cries of 'cui bono' - yes, true?
DDK 5 years, 5 months ago
Certainly not The People that have to pay twice for the same thing.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
A happy and lucky three. Only 40,000 more to go. LMAO
sheeprunner12 5 years, 5 months ago
WOW ............ trip to Abaco and photo-op for 3 homes?????? .......... Ridiculous waste of our public money .......... Is this what they will brag about next month for our Budget debate????
TalRussell 5 years, 5 months ago
I honestly begs some kinds clarification being I had thought I heard PM say his administration were just going makes vacant lands available first time Home Buyers and were not going be building Houses....so, has asks, why in hell is comrade PM photographed presenting newly constructed Houses keys recipients vacant lands, yes, no?
Ever since whatshisname got shuffled all ways back windowless office at far end PMO - after being abruptly replaced by the comrade sister whatshename, there has been almost daily relentlessly spinning of a cross between truth and falsehood in an attempt boost the Imperialist PM's pre 2022 general election hopeless chance being returned govern over Colony of Out Island - vain attempts hoping once again tricks populace likes they did 2017....... but this time the populace done marks foreheads the 35 elected MP's with sign utter unrecoverable from failure, yes, no, is it possible we have another staged photo op, just likes OBAN with the PM, yes, no?
TheMadHatter 5 years, 5 months ago
Tal ... these houses been sitting unfinished for years. You talk to da ministry about them and all they can say is they "been assigned". Glad these people finally got their houses. I didnt know if they were waiting on the prime minister or Jesus. Same approximate time frame in any case.
TalRussell 5 years, 5 months ago
Ma Comrade The Mad, hadn't them Abaco houses not done been sitting unfinished when the PM swore on floor House that his Imperialists red shirts cabinet, would never be in business building houses, yes, no there was not 'but' during nor at end PM's statement..... so am I not not permitted to repeat what most Colony of Out Islands populaces - heard PM say right out he mouth......so,just clarification, are you suggesting neither I, nor members populace,should ever believe anything any 35 elected and politically appointed Imperialists red shirts spokes,yes,no?
TheMadHatter 5 years, 5 months ago
The houses were there unfinished before the election, overgrowing with bushes
Giordano 5 years, 5 months ago
Three houses!. All of that ceremony? What a poor vission. Head of state builds villages or cities, not three houses that somebody else already started years ago.s This is minimally good for the young three recipients but is not even enough,we the people,deserves better. This is an insult with newly 60% increased VAT. Where is the VAT-money ? Anyway,the PM should not be building houses except house models to be replicated in a particular project. Government should be only building roads with proper drainage and light,parks with free internet + giant TV-screen,schools,community centers,sport centers and government -own eatery centers,police station,fire fighter station also scattered litler center or small single home only for math and languages including English. Every particular area or extention of space,prepared by the government,of course ,adding amenities : light,water,internet & cable ready or available. The government should add systematically,more jobs by changing the rules or building code preparing mentioned spaces with bunkles under every new home ,50 or 100 feet deep,properly equipped with all can goods,surveillance equipment to see up surface,gas & oxigen at least lasting for three or four years to keep the people properly shelter and save in case of natural or man-made disasters. We are living an era of chemicals weapons and mass destruction devises with frequent signals of nuclear war involving our neighbor,the U.S.A. Pls PM open your eyes and start to display some vission with tangible,effective results,immediately before those chemicals weapons or missiles get destroy in Bahamian sky by U.S. to prevent them of reaching their (American) territory. All that poison will fall in us because where there is no vission,people will perish.
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