Improving Homeownership Among Priority Areas For Terrelonge

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine East Central, Alando Terrelonge, says improving homeownership for residents will be among his priority areas of focus for the fiscal year.

The State Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, who was making his contribution to the State of the Constituency debate in the House of Representatives on September 28, said that discussions are under way with the National Housing Trust (NHT), the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Development to provide access to housing solutions.

“It behooves us as a Government…  ensure that these communities are replaced with low-income homes with the proper infrastructure for all our families,” he said.

“I look forward to continuing those discussions so that we can remove the labyrinth of zinc fences and board houses with zinc roofs and give all residents proper homes and suitable facilities in the near future,” he said.

He said that focus will also be placed on community development, noting that public recreational facilities and parks have been built in several communities over the past two years through collaboration with citizens’ groups.

Among the beneficiary communities are Portmore Pines, Silverstone, West Cumberland, Gregory Park, Christian Gardens, Morris Meadows and Cedar Grove.

“Together, we have implemented general public beautification and sanitation projects to keep the constituency clean,” he said, noting that drain cleaning and bushing programmes are ongoing.

Mr. Terrelonge said that investment will also continue in education.

He noted that through the Terrelonge Award for Academic Excellence, established in  2016, some 50 top students from Naggo Head, Gregory Park, and Independence City primary schools benefit from academic grants, book vouchers, tuition, and other academic support as part of the back-to-school programme each year.

The academic budget runs between $6.5 million and $7 million annually.

“An education is the best gift we can give to children… .  We can only move forward as a nation if we invest in the education of our people,” Mr. Terrelonge.