Dear Editor,
Dr. Ashni Singh senior minister with responsibility for finance on February 12, 2021, delivered the 2021 Budget to the parliament and the nation now look forward to the projects, plans, and policies that the state will fund this year. I would like to take my hat off to the Ministry of Housing and Water and minister, Colin Croal for once again coming to the rescue of so many homeowners who have been waiting for their titles after completing payment for their allocations. I refer especially to those residents who were allocated duplexes at Perseverance.
Our current act does not cater to that type of construction. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has more of a single ownership house. The CH&PA cannot accommodate a condominium scheme because the necessary legislation for those was not amended when the scheme was conceptualized. These owners could not get their transfer upon completion of payment because the condominium regulations and miscellaneous provisions Act Chapter 36:22 doesn’t provide for the transfer of such homes. The Ministry of Housing and Water is engaging the Attorney General’s Chambers on a draft amendment to the Condominium (Regulation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. With the passage of the amendments the ministry will now provide the CH&PA with the impetus to speak to the relevant stakeholders, including insurance companies, the banks, and other financial institutions.
The relevant and needed amendments to the Act would now enable owners of duplexes to access titles to their land, it would also permit commercial banks to accept those properties as collateral, insurance companies to issue policies to those homeowners, and allow those homeowners to access loans for repairs and expansion. Once again let me register my thanks to Colin Croal and the People Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for their vision.
Haresh Singh
Resident
