Scores of applicants gathered outside the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) at South Quay, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, hoping they will be chosen for a new government home. This comes after Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal’s announcement last week that 100 HDC homes will be distributed each week for the rest of the year. Hundreds of people from all across the country queued from the entrance at South Quay, up lower George Street and across Independence Square.
The lines were absent near closing time but up to late yesterday evening, there were several people inside the building. Several HDC workers shouted numbers while applicants were either busy filling out or checking on the status of their already existing applications. HDC corporate communications manager Marissa Findley said, in anticipation of long lines, the HDC opened its offices earlier today and has been able to process over 1,000 applications between 8 am and noon yesterday.
In an interview, Matthew Leotaud, 52, a CEPEP worker, of La Romaine, said he was hoping they would get a home as his house had been destroyed by fire. “I squatting in a rubbish heap. I squatting on State land but I not sure, I don’t know who it belongs to,” he said. Leotaud said the house he had built was a small dwelling. Two years ago, Leotaud said, he woke in the morning to his house on fire.
“I was sleeping in a chair because I had to go to work and I get up and the house was on fire. I try to put it out and I burn up myself so I had to abandon the house,” he said. Still visible were the burns about his face and hands. Leotaud said he was able to build a small structure on the same land with help from a church. “I now getting my stuff like my identification card. The Government never help me and I hoping that I get a home. I need help,” he said.
Another woman, Brenda Felix, who was waiting to be served said she was checking on the status of her brother’s application. Her brother, Michael Edwards, a pensioner, suffers from diabetes, a stroke and eye problems. “He needs a home. He living in Beetham pensioner’s quarters and he is sick. It is one room he is staying there and I try to help him,” she said. Felix said she is unable to truly assist because she is disabled since she suffered injuries to her leg during the 1990 coup attempt.
“Since then my leg damage, I try Self Help but they dancing me around and I need my roof fix. It leaking,” she said. A Morvant resident (who refused to give her name), said she applied for a home 15 years ago. “I am hoping that I get a home. I applied so long and nothing is certain. I am checking to see,” she said. When contacted HDC Managing Director Jeralee John said briefly that there was a time when the organisation was getting bad publicity because of the empty houses.
“At one time they were saying it have empty house. Yes, we do have enough until the end of the year and based on the schedule there will be enough,” she said.