Member of Parliament for St. George North, Gline Clarke.
The Catastrophe Fund set up under the leadership of the Barbados Labour Party government, should be used not only to assist persons who have lost homes to hurricanes and storms, but also to those who are in need of housing, due to other dire circumstances.
Member of Parliament for St. George North, Gline Clarke, suggested the above, as he spoke in the House of Assembly this week.
“We set up the Catastrophe Fund some years ago, which I believe can be used to help those persons who are in need of housing. Opportunities exist within this fund, that can be used to help not only persons who have [experienced] a flood, or a storm has washed down or blown away their house. We need to be [proactive] in how we are going to use this Fund, to help those persons who are in need or have problems with the landlord, have a problem finding rooms, or because of a fire,” Clarke said.
“The policy would be clear, that all persons who were disadvantaged, persons who have lost [their homes] to fire, persons who have been [evicted] from their homes because they cannot pay their rent as they are probably unemployed; that we have to look at these people very carefully,” he continued.
He however stated, “I do not subscribe to the view that persons who are working and are doing well and are renting a home, that they should not pay their rent. I believe persons should pay their rent, because it is an investment that some landlords have made (to fix up their properties to rent) and we have to go back and look at that legislation as well, because many persons are now disadvantaged because of these situations.”
Calling for the present Democratic Labour Party to have “a strong housing policy”, Clarke also suggested that perhaps the time has come to have a new White Paper on Housing, in which a number of solutions would be put to address the numerous housing problems. (RSM)