Squatters get Certificates of Comfort, will also get grants from IDB loan

Eluid Sampson, 95, receives his certificate of comfort from Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal (Guardian Photo)

Squatters whose tenure have been regularised will be able to get government grants that will be made available to them from a $140 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank loan.

Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal revealed the details Tuesday when he handed out Certificates of comfort for squatters during a function at the Rudranath Capildeo learning Resource Centre in Mc Bean, Central Trinidad.

Moonilal said the money is to upgrade the squatting communities to prevent them from becoming ghettos. Squatters who have received the certificates can access the money from the Ministry of Housing, National Self Help Commission and the Ministry of the People, the minister said.

Moonilal said the money will help families refurbish their homes and make their  communities aesthetically pleasing. 

He stated that the authorities have already mapped out the communities using GPS technology. Moonilal also said that the government has conducted social surveys for the majority of squatting households, which would allow more effective planning of the regularisation exercise.