Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dwight Sutherland, believes that homeownership is the essence of every Barbadian dream, and that Government must assist individuals in realising their dreams.

Mr. Sutherland stated this while delivering remarks at the opening of Solaris Court, Whitepark Road, St. Michael, on Wednesday.

The Housing Minister added that the ability to own a home is not just a fundamental human right, but it is also a powerful cornerstone of individual and community empowerment, economic stability, and the overall strength of a nation.

“I cannot go on without saying to you that, over the years, it has become more challenging for people to own their own homes because of the increasing cost of infrastructure, … land, and … services. However, we place homeownership in the reach of the ordinary man, not out of the reach of the ordinary man.

“This Government capped the price of land…the price of services, and we were able then to make some changes. Today, we are not just opening a housing project; we’re unveiling a new vision for the future of affordable, sustainable, and resilient living. That’s what we are doing [with] the project. It represents a milestone in our commitment to provide innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our communities,” he said.

While acknowledging that a “one size fits all solution” will not be sufficient, Mr. Sutherland stressed that it is crucial that Government offers a range of housing options that can cater to different family sizes, income levels, and lifestyle preferences.

“This Government capped the price of land…the price of services, and we were able then to make some changes. Today, we are not just opening a housing project; we’re unveiling a new vision for the future of affordable, sustainable, and resilient living. That’s what we are doing [with] the project. It represents a milestone in our commitment to provide innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our communities.”Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dwight Sutherland

The Housing Minister indicated that single-unit homes, quadruplexes, duplexes, sextuplexes, and townhouses were  included in the innovative designs being promoted by his Ministry.

He disclosed that these multi-unit designs maximise the use of available land while maintaining affordability for prospective owners.

“The housing sector has long been faced with the dual challenges of providing affordable living spaces while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our resources…. We are proud to offer a solution that meets both these objectives – delivering homes that are quick to assemble faster, built to last and designed with the future in mind.

“Resilience is not only about hurricanes but resilience is about being resistant to fires and giving you enough time. So, we are looking at material that can withstand all of these things… designed as built to last and for the future, with a view to providing more affordable housing, and in an effort to ensure that those persons who will only be able to dream of owning their home can do so,” he stated.

 The Minister said the Housing Ministry and the Government had set targets of 10,000 houses in five years and explained that although the National Housing Corporation (NHC) had received over 20,000 housing applications, a deficit exists.

“We are trying to close that gap as fast as we can as a Government, so we have to set ambitious targets. We have to set what we call stretch targets, so that we can move and push and try to achieve as much as we can.

“That is why we set that ambitious target, and is one of the most ambitious housing targets ever to be executed in the history of this country. The overall policy is one in driving down the cost of land and housing for ordinary Barbadians.”

The Solaris Court Housing Project was a partnership between an international company and the Government of Barbados, through the NHC. It was completed over three years, with 1,337 housing solutions being built.

“Solaris Court… is one of the sites that fall on the East-West project, and I want to thank our East West partners for the quality of work that you’ve done with us. I also want to say to you this morning that not only did East West Barbados provide the quality of work here, but 35 local contractors were employed in this project.”

The Solaris Court Housing Project was a partnership between an international company and the Government of Barbados, through the NHC. It was completed over three years, with 1,337 housing solutions being built.

Minister Sutherland added that 2025 promises to be a bumper year in housing, where his Ministry had projected a minimum of 1,500 houses, with the belief that number could increase to 2,000 once construction starts “early in the year”.

Projects utilising all three types of designs include Atlantic Breeze in Christ Church, Brighton in St. George, Branchbury, St. Joseph, and Lower Burney in St. Michael.

“Plans are currently on the way by my Ministry to engage in a project targeted at reducing the housing density, as well as facilitating the upgrading and re-development of a few residential communities in the greater Bridgetown area…. My focus is on two areas, Wellington Street and Greenfield. These are the two projects, and through this project, we aim to improve the social and living conditions of persons currently residing in these areas….”  

“The Ministry of Housing, Lands and Maintenance anticipates that the measures being implemented will not only assist low-income citizens with becoming homeowners but will furthermore be to the benefit of society in a number of ways,” he said. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dwight Sutherland, speaking at the opening of Solaris Court, Whitepark Road, St. Michael

The Honorable Dwight Sutherland, Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, has been elected as the President of the Thirty-Fourth General Assembly of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Housing and Urban Development for Latin America and the Caribbean (XXXIV MINURVI).

This prestigious appointment took place during the recently concluded Thirty-Third Assembly held in Belem, Brazil last week (December 12 and 13, 2024), setting the stage for an exciting future.

This significant development will see Barbados hosting the XXXIV Assembly for the first time next year, marking yet another extraordinary milestone for the country and the region, as the esteemed conference was last held in the Caribbean some ten years ago. 

“I am extremely proud to be chosen to represent Barbados at this level. It is indeed a tribute to the remarkable display of leadership and vision that is now synonymous with the country,” Minster Sutherland stated.

“I step into this role with a commitment to further the institutional strengthening of the MINURVI coalition through enhanced collaboration among member countries. As I emphasised in my acceptance speech last week, there is an urgent need to build resilience within our territories amidst the escalating climate crisis, and this will be high on my agenda. 

“The upcoming assembly promises to be a landmark event, fostering collaboration and innovation at a time when it is needed most. It presents a unique opportunity for local entrepreneurs to showcase pioneering housing solutions and collaborate with MINURVI partners in the development of innovative adaptive housing technologies and we look forward to an inspiring gathering that not only celebrates our achievements but also paves the way for a sustainable future,” he added.

With 35 member nations, MINURVI serves as a vital platform for dialogue and partnership, allowing Ministers and High-Level Authorities responsible for housing and sustainable urban development to converge, share best practices, and devise effective solutions to tackle the pressing challenges faced within the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) subregion.  (PR)

The National Peace Program (NPP) is rolling out more initiatives to engage young people in a meaningful way.

Minister of State in the Office of the Attorney General with responsibility for Crime Prevention, Corey Lane, today launched the LIVEWISE Campaign during a media briefing at Starcom Network.

“The LIVEWISE Campaign has 14 different programmes…. I believe about four or five of those are ready, … and members of the public will be able to see these exciting, quality programmes….

“One of the highly anticipated programmes for me is Turnaround, where you will see how a number of very serious characters in Barbados, who would have been known for some of the most serious crimes, have been able to turn their life around,” Mr. Lane stated.

He encouraged the public to also look out for the Consequences and Positive Profiles programmes, describing them as excellent.

He believes the campaign will assist in bringing about meaningful behavioural change and an awareness of NPP’s work. The LIVEWISE Campaign will commence soon, and the programmes will be available on radio, television, and various social media platforms.

Minister Lane stated that NPP partnered with the Great Hope Foundation and Minors Club to launch the National Extreme Games Platform, where young people will be exposed to riding bikes, ATVs, go-carts, bicycles, and mountain bikes off-road, in a safe way.

He noted that the National Extreme Games initiative was an opportunity to positively impact the lives of talented young people, while giving them an opportunity to receive personal and professional development, among other things.

Great Hope Foundation donated four bikes to the programme.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lane disclosed that NPP would be seeking to implement its 215 initiatives over the next three years. 

Director of the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit, Cheryl Willoughby, stressed the importance of the initiatives. She agreed with Minister Lane that it was important that interventions conducted by NPP were data-driven.

“If they’re not, it means that you are putting resources where they are not needed,” Mrs. Willoughby surmised.

She disclosed that some of her staff would be going to Dodds Prison in January to interview young people who were on remand for murder. 

She explained that they would be looking at the socio and economic backgrounds of these young people, among other things, and the information would be shared with the crime prevention officials, so the NPP’s programmes would continue to be relevant to its stakeholders.

The Director further disclosed that her Unit would be embarking on a National Victimisation Survey in the upcoming months.

“What is important about victimisation surveys is that these surveys unearth the hidden figures of crime…. Victimisation surveys…enable us to see the true extent of crime, because what we will do is compare official crime statistics with the data coming out of the victimisation survey,” Mrs. Willoughby indicated. 

Those addressing the media briefing included CEO of Great Hope Foundation, Ward Trotman, and Tomar Haynes of Minors Club and the Extreme Games Platform. (PR/GIS)