Over 300 Shieldstown allottees ink agreements of sale
More than 300 allottees from Shieldstown Housing Scheme in Region Five on Friday signed their agreements of sale so that they can secure certificates of title.
The landowners will soon be able to leverage their ownership documents as collateral at the local banks for loans to commence construction on their homes.
The exercise was spearheaded by Permanent Secretary of the ministry Bishram Kuppen and Director of Operations at the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Denise King-Tudor at Shieldstown Community Centre Ground.
The Shieldstown Housing Scheme which offers almost 700 lots, has completed all infrastructural works, including the construction of roads, drainage networks, bridges, and utility installations.
Over 400 allottees have already identified their house lots.
Since 2020, $5.2 billion in infrastructure has been invested for development works across new housing schemes in the region, including Experiment, Balthyock, Burma, and Shieldstown, ensuring that allottees have access to essential amenities.
Housing schemes are heavily subsidised as the government continues to ensure homeownership is accessible to everyone.
During a community meeting in September 2024, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues announced that 26 households in Shieldstown will receive their land titles for properties they have been occupying for over two decades.
She had noted that the government was working for the regularisation process to be finalised in the area, bringing much relief to the households.
The area’s regularisation process began in 2014.
This significant milestone will fast-track their journey to homeownership, providing stability for their families.
Since 2020, the government has been addressing squatting issues countrywide and has regularised more than 175 squatter settlements across the country.
The regularisation of these areas will help to improve the residents’ living standards by providing access to basic amenities.