Minister without portfolio with responsibility for Housing, Dr. Morais Guy says he will be championing the use of dry wall technology in housing construction with a view to reducing housing costs. He outlined that this would be among the mix of approaches explored in an effort to make housing more affordable to the ‘ordinary man’.
Minister Guy who was on a tour of several housing projects in Portmore, St. Catherine, said that the government was acutely aware of the challenges faced by persons, especially those at the lower stratum of society to access affordable housing solutions. In that respect, he said he was particularly pleased to have seen the work that had taken place on the construction of the Westmeade Willows Housing Project, one of those toured.
The Westmeade Housing Project boasts 125 two bedroom units which will be ready within another month. Each unit occupies 800sq. feet with the possibility for expansion.
For his part, MP for East Central, Hon. Arnaldo Brown who accompanied Minister Guy on the tour said that he was pleased that the Minister was getting first-hand knowledge of some of the housing needs in the constituency as this was one of the areas of greatest need. The Minister was also joined on the tour by Mr. Joseph Shoucair, Managing Director and other members of the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), the developers of the Project and members of Y.P Seaton & Associates, contractor.
Among the areas toured were, Westmeade Willows, Beverley Flats, Portmore Villas, Country Club, Quarry Hills and Palms of Portmore.