House moves to correct land vesting error

The House of Assembly has moved to correct an error made in the vesting of land at Sargeant’s Village, Christ Church, on which a Government  low-income housing project  is nearing completion.

The matter was the subject of contentious debate between Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne and Government MPs at a recent sitting. This followed Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance Christopher Gibbs piloting a resolution to rescind a 2022 House resolution approving the vesting of the two parcels of land in the NHC, replacing it with an amended resolution.

In his opening remarks, Gibbs told the House: “Today, I rise to correct our records; provide legal clarity and advance our housing agenda. We are asking this honourable House to rescind Resolution No. 17, 2022, and second, to approve an amended resolution to vest two parcels of land totalling 7 021 square metres situated at Sargeant’s Village, Christ Church, in the NHC for the purpose of a housing development.”

He said that under the 2022 resolution, the then privately-owned lands were acquired and “vested in the State, confirming public ownership for the purpose of housing”.

“This has always been the strategy of this government, this Parliament and the Ministry of Housing – to identify appropriate State lands to be vested in the NHC for the purpose of housing previously by the NHC actively participating in development,” Gibbs said.

“In recent times, the Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Housing, through the NHC, to engage in joint partnerships, to employ a more industrial approach to the building of housing . . . . By employing this strategy, we will ensure that Barbadians can own a piece of the rock and that we can accelerate our programmes.” 

 The Minister of Housing regretted that after official publication of the details of the first land acquisition resolution, “errors were detected”.

“Mr Speaker, I am certainly not ashamed to come to this House to admit that the NHC was inadvertently omitted as the vesting entity. 

“And I say so because we have the opportunity to empower Barbadians with housing at the end of this month in Sargeant’s Village. And if I have to come to this House to correct a wrong, I will do so, because this is the honourable thing to do to deliver housing solutions to Barbadians.” 

Eight duplexes are being built on the Sargeant’s Village site, with plans for the construction of another four single units. 

Gibbs also updated the House on the progress of 20 housing units under construction at Bullens, St James, which he projected would be ready by the end of this month. In addition, he shared his plans for repairs and upgrades of the Government housing estates.

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