Dear Editor,
I notice that my good friend David De Groot contends that during the previous regime only 550 houses were built in its 28 years. Where he got that from only God knows.
He is joined by an honourable gentleman, Mohamed Khan, who describes himself as the former Director of Central Housing and Planning Authority (CN&PC). I don’t know who this gentleman is, but there was to the best of my knowledge, at least during the period under review, never a post of Director of the Central Housing and Planning Authority.
I suggest they read with a little more care, the contents of my recent letter which pointed to various aspects of house construction, as part of the policy – yes, a policy of the previous administration. These included among others.
1. Preparation of land for housing by government
2. Actual building
3. Self-help projects
4. Access to loans
5. Cooperatives and many other measures, which were all intended to facilitate home ownership.
I ask both De Groot and Khan to dispute the dozens of housing starts facilitated by the previous administration ranging from Roxanne Burnham Gardens to Prashad Nagar. I can provide them with a complete list.
In addition to all this, recall that the government encouraged the Kissoons and external agencies to produce prefabricated houses. These were not many, but they were part of a policy and added to the housing stock.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green JP
