Prime Minister Holness Hands Over 106 Titles To Beneficiaries Of Serviced Lots In Friendship Oaks Phase One

MONTEGO BAY, May 18 (JIS):

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Friday (May 17), handed over 106 titles for residential serviced lots to beneficiaries under phase one of the National Housing Trust’s (NHT) new Friendship Oaks development in Goshen, St. Elizabeth.

This marks a significant milestone in the NHT’s ongoing efforts to provide achievable and affordable housing solutions for Jamaicans.

Friendship Oaks, which spans 36.8 hectares, is a comprehensive project comprising 256 housing solutions.

Phase one includes 150 one-bedroom units, 106 residential serviced lots, and eight commercial lots.

Of the 106 residential lots, 15 have been reserved for public sector workers and individuals with disabilities, with the remaining 91 earmarked for other NHT contributors.

In his address, Prime Minister Holness highlighted the inclusive nature of the allocation process, noting that 64 per cent of the selected beneficiaries were female, with a significant portion of the recipients being young adults, aged 25-40 years.

Additionally, Mr. Holness said 53 per cent of the selectees earn between $42,000 and $100,000 weekly, thus enabling some of them to secure mortgages with interest rates ranging between zero and two per cent.

He said this approach underscores the Government’s commitment to creating accessible housing for a diverse group of Jamaicans.

“Indeed, this is a major part of wealth creation for families. But, moreso, it is the creation of intergenerational wealth, meaning that when the family gets this property, it is a legacy to be passed on for generations to come. It can break the cycle of poverty, and the NHT is playing a very critical role in that,” Mr. Holness explained.

“Your Government is working tirelessly to ensure that we have housing for our citizens. This is what we’re doing, and what we are doing here has never been done before. It is, in my mind, transformational for Jamaica,” he added.

Prime Minister Holness reaffirmed the NHT’s commitment to financing and constructing achievable housing solutions, with a focus on low-income, lower-middle-income, and no-income individuals.

He indicated that the agency’s current programme in St. Elizabeth includes seven developments that will introduce an additional 4,108 housing solutions in the parish over the next few years.

For his part, NHT Chairman, Linval Freeman, lauded the beneficiaries for their dedication to homeownership.

He encouraged them to create vibrant, well-sought-after communities filled with “beautiful moments of happiness and laughter.”

The Chairman also highlighted the entity’s role in making homeownership a reality for many Jamaicans.

“Key to the NHT’s approach is how much we value listening to the concerns of our contributors, because you are the most important stakeholders. We hear the challenges, so we listen [and], as such, we at NHT have developed effective policies and programmes to facilitate and bring our contributors more livable homes. So we not only listen, but we respond,” Mr. Freeman outlined.

Beneficiary, Osseive Gentles, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the NHT, particularly acknowledging the loan processing officers for their dedication and attention to details.

He said the development is testament to the NHT’s commitment to delivering quality housing solutions and thanked Prime Minister Holness for his “insightful and visionary leadership.”

“Through their diligence, we were able to walk across this stage boldly and confidently, beaming with pride, as… we [collected] our land titles,” Mr. Gentles stated.