Ground broken for house in Kendal, Manchester -project part of $300m spend by Local Gov’t in the parish
KENDAL, Manchester: Ground has been broken for the construction of an indigent house for a family in Kendal, Manchester under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development’s Municipal Social Assistance Programme (MSAP).
Portfolio Minister, Honourable Desmond McKenzie, at the groundbreaking ceremony on August 2, said the parish of Manchester has benefited from $300 million in social programmes by the Ministry.
“We have not only built water shops, but we have also repaired roads. We have spent more money in the parish on building new infrastructure and carrying out repairs at the infirmary, than we have spent in any other parish.”
Four water shops were built in the parish and more than $70m invested in summer employment programmes for young people.
The Minister also shared that the Ministry recently provided funds to upgrade the Mandeville Tax Office in a move to bolster the capacity of the Manchester Municipal Corporation to generate more revenue.
There are also ongoing discussions about the rehabilitation of the Mandeville Market.
Mayor of Mandeville, Councillor Donovan Mitchell and Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, Rhoda Moy Crawford, also attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
The Indigent Housing Programme was introduced under MSAP in 2017 and is designed to address the housing difficulties faced by the poor and most vulnerable.
The Ministry has completed at least 60 units islandwide, with work ongoing on several others. Three types of solutions have been developed – studio units, one-bedroom units and two-bedroom family units. The houses are made of concrete and feature sloped roofs that enable rainwater harvesting.
Applicants are screened through the Poor Relief Departments, where an investigation and verification procedure are carried out to establish the need.
Potential beneficiaries must also demonstrate ownership of the property on which the house is to be built or provide documentation that they are lawfully entitled to tenure on such property.
