In a strong display of community spirit, over 50 persons attended and were presented with certificates of titles to their houses at a ceremony at the Avon Park Community Centre in Arnett Gardens on Thursday, February 27, 2014.

Persons received titles to housing solutions which replaced wooden shacks and dilapidated zinc fences which once stretched from Spanish Town Road to the top of Collie Smith Drive. The Ministry of Transport, Works & Housing amplified its involvement within the community over the last year which resulted in the titles being handed over. Residents of Phases 3, 4A, 4B and 7 received titles.

In exhorting the new title holders to work towards making the community a successful model, Transport, Works & Housing Minister Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies said, “There are certain ‘obligations’ that you have to observe.” These he listed as not erecting shops on to their properties and not engaging in the ‘bridging’ of utilities. He also encouraged them to form Citizens Associations to oversee the overall effective running of the community.

For his part, Minister without portfolio with responsibility for Housing, Hon. Dr. Morais Guy told the gathering present that the handing over of the titles was part of the deliberate attempt by the Government to empower residents of the community. He said that the titles were very powerful symbols of status and encourage persons to use them to assist in developing themselves and by extension their communities.

Councillor for the Trench Town Division of the KSAC, Neville Wright congratulated the residents who received their titles, noting that they had waited a long time and were deserving of having received them at last.

Also participating in the ceremony were, Mrs. Audrey Sewell who chaired the proceedings; Elder Omar Marsh from the Cross Roads SDA Church who offered prayers; Mr. Peter Plummer who responded on behalf of the recipients; Ms. Sarah Marshall who did the Vote of Thanks and the Iris Gelly Primary School who provided cultural items.