500 residential lots selected

First draw: An employee of Ernst & Young helps Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar make the first draw from 500 applicants to receive lots of land at Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando yesterday.
Author: ANIL RAMPERSAD

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has described the first drawing of 500 residential lots under the LSA’s land for the landless programme at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, (SAPA), as one of her administration’s “signature and creative endeavors” to address the housing problem facing Trinidad and Tobago.

“Several months ago when the draft land for the landless programme was brought to the Cabinet, there was not a single dissenting view to this very excellent idea,” Persad-Bissessar said, and noted that out of the 41,000 persons who had applied for housing, approximately 10,000 citizens had been short listed.

She said out of this group, 500 applicants would be selected by random lottery draw and successful beneficiaries would begin construction in approximately two months and noted that the beneficiaries include persons with disabilities, government employees and members of the protective services.

Persad-Bissessar said the “economic impact” would be felt throughout the national economy as jobs were created in the construction sector and at the various spinoff businesses.

Also addressing the ceremony was Housing Minister, Dr Roodal Moonilal who noted that while the land distribution was not free, applicants were paying a “highly subsidised’ price for the lands at ‘well below market value”.

Lots would be provided with road access, water, electricity, drainage and provision for sewerage disposals. Households with a monthly income of less than $3,000 would be further provided with a concrete foundation.

Newsday