The first house under Tobago's Home Ownership Made Equal (HOME) programme has been signed, sealed and delivered to Kyean Bruce and her 11-year-old son Azion Orr.
The partially visually-impaired mother of two was the first recipient on the THA Division of Settlements, Public Utilities and Rural Development’s social housing project, as she received her keys on Friday after a brief ceremony outside the house on Teak Avenue East in Milford Court, Bon Accord.
THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the mandate is to provide homes for those who would never be able to afford any home built and sold by the Assembly. He said there are several Tobagonians who can’t afford any piece of land anywhere, nor any home on the market. He said when those most vulnerable are looked at, their income could barely meet their needs at the end of the month, such as to buy groceries, far less to provide a quality home for their families.
“And so the challenge for us Tobago, is that we have to do something about that. The Tobago I know is a Tobago with a thing called lend hand, where we found a way to help each other build at literally next to no cost on labour. That is because we recognise culturally that in order for us to have safe communities, we have to have safe homes for everyone residing in our communities.”
[caption id="attachment_1013905" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The new home at Milford Court, Bon Accord delivered by the Division of Settlements, Public Utilities and Rural Development. Photo courtesy Department of Information, THA -[/caption]
He said through the HOME project the targets are single mothers, guardians with orphans, seniors over the age of 65, vulnerable groups, disabled and many others. He said a mixture of state-owned lands as well as abandoned government quarters will be repurposed.
The house handed over to Bruce, he said, was completed in 21 days.
“The foundation took three days to complete and the house itself took 18 days to complete – 21 days in total and we had a completed home. To me, that is a landmark achievement.”
The work was done by EJ Engineering who volunteered the labour for “free. It is an engineered structure.”
Electoral representative Joel Sampson said he is indeed grateful to his colleagues at the division who led the team responsible for the HOME project.
“Not only does this programme offer housing but it is focused on providing such to the most vulnerable among us. This administration acknowledges that these populations must be provided with the requisite support needed to improve their circumstances. Not only do we acknowledge but we continue to make the necessary policy changes to ensure that this change is provided.”
Secretary of the division Ian Pollard said Bruce first applied in 2016 outlining her circumstances. He said seven years later, her dream is now a reality.
“Thank you, Miss Bruce, I know you’re surprised but that’s how I do my work – quietly.”
To other people interested in benefitting from the project, he said: “To all Tobagonians, every develop
