Dear Editor,
I write with reference to an article I read on Inews’ website on 2nd November 2015 with the headline ‘Persons with house lots urged to start construction’. The article stated that “Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott has indicated that no longer will the ministry give ears to those who cry that they have not taken up their lot, because these housing areas are without adequate infrastructure and supporting facilities and amenities.” And further in the article the minister is quoted as saying, “We know that we have to give you services, and we do that, but we expect you [the persons who have received lots], to occupy, because your very occupancy encourages others to come.” I would like to politely point out to the minister that many of the people who were allocated house lots may not be moving to these areas not only because the communities lack infrastructure but also because the persons might lack the appropriate financing and other essential things to relocate their lives. It is very generous of the minister to invite the people to join in building the community and explore their pioneering spirit. The Minister should note that it is not because some people will live in a developing area with little or no infrastructure it means that everyone will.
I think it is important for the minister to recognize some important realities about 2015. The population no longer expects to be judged by one size fits all; some people accepting low standards are by no means the measure for everyone; poor infrastructure sends the cost for everything up; people who have children want them to grow in prepared living spaces, so roads, water, lights and so on are essential to deciding to live in a community, and for people to enjoy quality of life it is essential for them to have adequate social and physical infrastructure that is not present in some of the new housing areas.
I strongly recommend that the minister re-evaluates his position and investigates the critical issues facing the people who have been allocated house lots and have not been able to build on them before his next set of remarks in this regard, so that his ministry can instead speak on the new opportunities it will create to aid people in being able to use these house lots.
Yours faithfully,
Dmitri Nicholson
