PM Kamla hands out HDC homes, pledges to end cycle of hardship for citizens

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar handed out keys for home to 150 families and urged them to let their homes become "units of law and order, exemplary parenting and creative achievement." 

She said, "I encourage you to take your new responsibilities seriously. Maintain your environment and work towards the building of safe, peaceful and thriving communities...With your new-found stability, I entrust the on-going development of our Nation."

In a brief address, Persad-Bissessar noted that it was a year ago that she handed out keys to 84 who faced an "agonising wait" to realise their dream of home ownership through Government’s social housing programme. 

She said those 84 people represente a cumulative wait of 1948 years.

"For a country which recognises the two most important texts which speak to the Right to Adequate Housing – the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - such a scenario must be regarded as totally unacceptable," she said.

Persad-Bissessar said that is why in August 2010 the housing minister began an aggressive move to deal with housing applications of those persons whose documents had been lodged with the authorities for more than 10 years.

She said, "Our key hand-over ceremony last year and today’s presentation is evidence of the strength of my Government’s conviction that every individual in Trinidad and Tobago has the right to adequate housing without discrimination.

"And by adequate housing, ladies and gentlemen, I want to emphasize that this Government is not merely speaking to simply having a roof over one’s head; but rather to housing with access to potable water, child care facilities, healthcare facilities, education and recreation.

"We are seeking to create stable, secure, vibrant communities in Trinidad and Tobago." 

The Prime Minister noted that UN estimates suggest that by 2050, three billion persons worldwide will be will be living in unhealthy and unworthy slum conditions.

"Such alarming factors are not what this Government envisages for the people of Trinidad and Tobago," she said.

Persad-Bissessasr said her Government does not regard the right to adequate housing as a political option. 

"We believe that it is the duty of Government, through its policies and programmes to provide access to housing to its population, including the poorest, the disabled and other vulnerable groups such as women, children and elderly," she said.

"While the ability of Governments to offer adequate housing may be hampered by a variety of economic, cultural, and social factors; it should not preclude them for setting adequate housing as a national social or political goal.

"As a Government it is our aim, as far as possible, to offer adequate, affordable and quality housing to those persons unable to access housing on the open market.

"We firmly believe that the success of our Nation rests on the well-being of our communities, our families and on each individual in Trinidad and Tobago.

"We remain committed to providing a life of dignity to each citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and we acknowledge that housing is an integral component of this goal.

"Without decent and affordable housing, families may encounter difficulties in managing their daily lives which often negatively impacts their children’s safety, health and development.

"I want to assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that this Government will continue to work tirelessly to prevent this cycle of hardship among our citizens."

Happy home owners. One of the people who got keys to his home Wednesday waited 45 years.  Victor Dell was 33 when he made the application for his home in 1966. He finally got the keys in his retirement. Read his story in the TRINIDAD EXPRESS