THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHILE I regard as admirable Mr. Seaga's plan to provide proper housing for those among us who live in sub-standard housing I cannot endorse the use of NHT funds. There are two reasons for my stance.
First, as we have seen with several low-income housing developments in the past built by government agencies, people eventually stop paying mortgages and because of the depressed nature of the communities it is almost impossible to recover these sums.
Secondly, I am a young NHT contributor. I cannot obtain a scheme house from the NHT as I would need to work for several more years before I qualify under their points system. In addition the $800,000 maximum per person that the NHT gives as an open market loan can barely pay for the 'so-so' land. I am not married, neither do I have brothers or sisters to join with and with my government salary there is no way I can approach a private mortgage company so I will have to wait until I am old and grey to own a home.
I am not against the 'shack attack' but it is only fair that if I am contributing to this scheme that I should be first in line to benefit. Before any money that the NHT has is used to provide homes for non-contributors I think that money should be used to help more of the 'homeless' contributors, like myself, to purchase a home.
I am etc.,
RICARDO SMALLING
rhamim@go-jamaica.com
Kingston
Via Go-Jamaica
