Merging National Housing and CHAPA will stop ‘burning of money’ and make access to homes and lands fair and cheaper

The United Progressive Party (UPP) has plans to merge the National Housing Development and Urban Renewal Company and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHAPA) into one entity, says Political Leader Harold Lovell.

Lovell says he agrees with Minister Lennox Weston that National Housing is “burning money,” adding that the venture is being operated like a Ponzi Scheme. Accordingly, he says the statutory would be audited before the merger.

With the new merged entity, the Political Leader says, the Government will be better able to deliver quality housing that is more affordable to the people.
Further, he says, the application process for lands and housing will be made easier and ensure equity for all.

Meanwhile, referencing the Prime Minister’s admission that each National Housing home is subsidized by $100,000 to $150,000, Lovell says the cost overruns on every two could have been used to construct one affordable home for a low-income family.

He notes that the money wasted in overruns on several other government projects could also have been used to create a housing development for the needy.

In its original mandate, CHAPA was responsible for land and public housing matters, and it is the opinion of several industry leaders that National Housing is competing unfairly with private contractors.