Bradshaw: Give residents their title deeds

Member of Parliament for St. Michael South East, Santia Bradshaw, is once again calling on Government to release the promised title deeds to residents living in the Pinelands housing units.

Bradshaw said the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration, in the last elections, promised that persons living in Government-owned low-income units for more than 20 years would be entitled to their title deeds, once their rent payments were up to date.

However, yesterday, following a walk through of the community with colleagues and supporters of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), Bradshaw told the media that residents in her constituency are fed up and frustrated after waiting for eight years for the title deeds, which they need to get financial assistance to enhance their properties, and raise their overall social standing.

“Just before the last election, the current administration came to Parliament and passed a piece of legislation which again led the electorate to believe that persons living in the terrace units would be able to get the conveyance to own a piece of the rock. Many people voted for the Democratic Labour Party on that basis, believing that for the first time they would actually own these units, after having to pay rent for so many years,” Bradshaw said.

The Member of Parliament said not only are the units overcrowded, but she also referred to the fact that children in the area do not have anywhere to play because the property, which is supposed to be the recreational area, has become home to a dumped minibus and other items.

She pointed out that garbage collection is also a major issue, especially in the Golden Rock area, where the one skip which was placed to service the entire community, is simply not enough and is often seen overflowing.

“This administration has neglected this community and that is what you would hear from most of the residents in this area. They have neglected it to the point where people are frustrated. You currently have a situation now where the current administration no longer comes into the area, they don’t come to see what the issues are in this community. You have several wells in this area which need to be cleaned. We have constantly complained about it and the National Housing Corporation is aware of the overflowing wells. You have businesses affected because sewage is running into the roads...,” she said.

“This is something that the people have expressed to us today; they have expressed it to me certainly for the last few years. I have constantly spoken about these issues and I am glad that my colleagues today walked with me throughout this community, because my voice will not be a single voice in Parliament speaking to the issues that are affecting the people in St. Michael South East,” Bradshaw added.

Shadow Minister of Housing and Member of Parliament for the City of Bridgetown, Jeffrey Bostic, said while a number of housing projects are being undertaken by Government, many of the housing estates within the St. Michael corridor were built several years ago and are in serious need of upgrade. He said in his opinion, maintaining and upgrading existing housing units should take precedence over building new developments that “remain uninhabited”.
“So I call on the Government to do something for the vulnerable people in our country and that is one of the things that the Barbados Labour Party commits itself to doing, once it returns to office. We know that things are not rosy, things will be difficult, but there is nothing too difficult on behalf of those who are most vulnerable in this society,” Bostic said.