Resident Seeks Transparency in Land Allocation; Minister Outlines CHAPA Process
A resident of Willikies has called for greater transparency in land allocation and urged that young people in the constituency be given priority as housing developments expand in the area.
Speaking at a town hall meeting, Carolyn Thomas said she recently observed that lands around the Wombs, also referred to as the Rooms area, had been subdivided and prepared for development. She questioned what transparent criteria were being used for land allocation and housing development within St. Philip’s North .
Thomas also appealed for lands around the Williams area to be allocated primarily to residents of the constituency, particularly young people, and expressed hope that this would be done in the near future .
Works Minister Maria Browne responded that the development of lands in the Rooms area is being handled by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHAPA), which follows what she described as a transparent allocation process .
Browne explained that applications are submitted, often through the constituency representative or caretaker, and placed into a pool for review by an allocation committee. The committee evaluates the applications and informs both the caretaker and the applicants of its decisions .
She added that individuals from the respective constituency are given first preference, noting that maintaining family and community ties is a priority in the distribution process .
The minister also pointed to additional lands available in the Glanvilles area, including parcels under a land empowerment programme, and said that many applications have come from residents of St. Philip’s North .
Residents interested in acquiring land or housing were encouraged to contact the area’s caretaker for further information on the application process .
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Why is it so flipping hard to for Antiguans to get a piece of land…. Come on Mon I’m 45 and been trying to get a piece since I was in my 20’s I ain’t running behind no minister bullshit …..
So why is it that this ‘transparent’ process has to be through the ABLP representative?
For full transparency I would suggest that a division within the DCA hold the process.
Individuals who are desirous of purchasing whether land alone or one of the housing projects houses, apply to DCA showing their capacity to either outright purchase or be pre-approved by a lending institution for a loan to purchase said property.
This would assure that ANY Antiguan, regardless of political affiliation has an open opportunity to buy land.
If the government feels that it wants to give residents of the area first preference they can so state, and give a time frame within which they need to have their applications with all relevant documentation presented and after that process is completed and more lots are available the application can be opened up to the wider public.
Doing this would also ensure that Government collects its funds at the outset of the sale.
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