Established October 1895 See inside for your feature on the late Prof. the Rt. Hon. Owen Arthur Sunday August 16, 2020 $2 VAT Inclusive EXCELLENT By RESPONSEMarsha Gittens 140 lots and some of the lots were bought prior to the day’s event. Duguid shared BARBADIANS did not miss out on an that the 62 lots remaining were sold on the opportunity to own a piece of the day within two hours. The lots on offer rock as scores of them attended the were priced at “$18 per square foot”. National Housing Corporation’s “Let me thank the people of Barbados (NHC) Land Fair on Saturday. for coming out and giving tremendous It was reported that from as early as support to what would have been our first 8:30 in the morning individuals were land fair here at Deanstown Heights. As present at Deanstown Heights, St. James I understand it … within two hours 62 lots making their assessment of the land sold here for the National Housing which overlooks Westmoreland Corporation and I am very,very happy at Development. Lots ranging from 5000 to the tremendous support that was given to 10 000 square feet were being sold.The set us to start this project with the first 62 lots. time for the Fair was 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 That brings a total of 140 lots here that p.m. have been made available for housing here Speaking to the media, Minister of at Deanstown Heights. I am very, very Housing, Lands and Maintenance, happy with the support and I think it Dr. William Duguid said Saturday’s Fair gives us a tremendous start to be able to was the first in a series of land fairs the house the nation,” he stated. NHC plans to have.The section comprised LAND FAIR on Page 3 Persons taking a close look at the site map as they decided which of the available lots they preferred. LEFT: Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dr. William Duguid, told the media he was very happy with the response given to the day’s Land Fair. Makeover of the public service is greatly needed POORLY performing public sector They stand in the way of new innovations said in a video statement. term. agencies must be reformed. and new projects within the public and Speaking on the revitalisation of the Regarding financial incentives, Stuart Issuing this call, President of the Young private sector and the reason for slow economy onto a more sustainable path, noted while the Fiscal Incentives Bill Democrats,Kemar Stuart, highlighted implementation may vary but they he said both regional and international paved the way for great foreign direct such a move was critical if the island was almost always relate to some type of co-operation was greatly needed to move investment to come into the island “that truly serious about raising the standards failure within the public sector. forward in these uncertain times. was yesteryear” as it had repealed the of doing business and improving the “A makeover of the public service is “If we look at Barbados economic and legislation. economy. greatly needed sooner rather than later investment policies, there is a clear void “Low tax regimes are constantly under “Renewed growth in the Barbados to raise the standards to that of the US, for the facilitation of a more robust attack by the OECD and a greater economy, depends on the removal of UK and Canada where our public investment culture in Barbados and this competitive package is needed within the complex and antiquated processes within servants are internationally competitive. may very well be the light in the midst of regulations of course, where Barbados government’s administrative process. Our public service needs to bid on the COVID pandemic,” he said, noting can have a sustained approach to Poorly performing government contracts internationally where it earns attention needed to be paid to the attracting foreign direct investment departments, state-owned corporations foreign exchange and becomes a country’s infrastructure to help Barbados through more financial encouragement,” and agencies are in need of much reform. contributor to government’s finances,”he unlock growth in the medium- to long- he advised. 2 • Sunday August 16, 2020 The Barbados Advocate The Barbados Advocate Sunday August 16, 2020 • 3 NHC’s Land Fair draws tremendous response from the public LAND FAIR from Front fair will be soon. Page “The second one we will The Housing Minister be having will be attributed the excellent Lancaster Phrase 3 and public response to the we hope to break ground day’s Fair to the need by on that next month and as Barbadians for housing soon as we break ground, solutions. we will have another land “Clearly, we see that fair like this and that is a there is great need for over total 183 lots and once we 60 lots to be sold in two get those lots going we hours. There is great need hope that people will be for housing solutions in able to get their housing Barbados and we are starts going as quickly as going to work hard to be possible to get that next able to meet that need for 183 lots into production the people of Barbados,” it for people to get shelter was further pointed out. here in this country,” he Clerical Officer with NHC, Claire Holder, responding to queries from members of the public about the lots on He said the next land added. sale at Deanstown Heights, St. James. NHC Stenographer, Jonelle Rollock responding to queries from the public about the lots on sale at the Land Fair. Persons with derelict houses, vacant land urged to partner with NHC By Marsha Gittens “We are encouraging people who have and then share the proceeds… It is a new “People often say that we have a derelict houses or who have vacant land, and innovative programme that we are database with 32 000 people who have THE National Housing Corporation it doesn’t have to be a large piece, it can working on and we are asking people applied for housing solutions. We are (NHC) plans to roll out a new be a single house spot or a single house, who are interested in coming and working on that to see if we can make initiative where it will partner with we are encouraging them to come and partnering with the National Housing that better. To weed out all the doubles Barbadians to put up their derelict give us your information. Those of you Corporation to call in and we will start to and triples and try to get that in terms of houses or vacant land for rent. who want to work with the National put that programme together for vacant who still wants [in order] and we have a Minister of Housing, Lands and Housing Corporation,” it was explained. and derelict houses and vacant lots.” programme working on that to get a more Maintenance, Dr. William Duguid, He added, “We are putting together a Duguid said in addition to the new accurate database, that is the first thing. explained the details of this programme policy so that together with those home initiative, the NHC is working on a The second thing, we recognise that as he spoke to the media at Deanstown owners those derelict houses, we will programme to bring its database which people have great needs and we are Heights, St. James on Saturday where come in make an arrangement with you, comprises persons who have applied for trying to meet that need as best as we the NHC held its Land Fair. fix up the house, put it available for rent housing solutions up-to-date. can.” 4• Sunday August 16, 2020 The Barbados Advocate Community Volunteers who took part in the DEM’s Exercise Montgomery yesterday. DEM Director Kerry Hinds said the organisation’s partnerships reduced the impact of the lack of specific resources. Call for more community volunteers to join DEOs AS the hurricane various DEOs, and noted season hits the midway in the case there was a lack mark, the Department of specific resources, the of Emergency DEM’s partnerships with Management (DEM) is other units aided in signalling its continued making up the shortfall. state of readiness. “You may find at some Forecasters have points in time, you may predicted an extremely lack resources in certain active hurricane season, areas, hence the reason and with Tropical Storms why we have various Josephine and Kyle memoranda of already churning in the understanding with other Atlantic, DEM Director agencies and other bodies Kerry Hinds said her to supplement what we organisation is constantly have at the national level. refining its plans and This is the reason why we procedures to be able to engage partners such at meet the needs of the Roving Response Barbadians or our regional Team, the same District brothers and sisters in the Emergency Organisations case of a disaster,in and other entities who may whatever form it may take. have resources that can be “We are ever mindful of brought to bear on the the fact that although we system,” she said, adding are in the hurricane that there was still room season, there are other for improvement. hazards we need to treat She made the comments to. Currently,our countries to the media yesterday as have been affected by in its efforts to ensure its Covid-19 and as such we community volunteers are would have tweaked a ready to respond in the number of our hurricane case of a disaster,the DEM procedures to reflect the hosted a simulation Covid-19 implications,” she exercise called ‘Exercise added.