Six Men’s folk set to gain land ownership, says MP  

Hundreds of residents in Six Men’s, St Peter, are a step closer to legally owning the land they have occupied for generations, following fresh moves by the government to transfer property titles under a housing initiative.

 

Member of Parliament for St Peter, Colin Jordan, made the announcement to the House of Assembly during debate on a land resolution to transfer property to about 20 residents of Sargeant’s Village in Christ Church.  

 

Jordan, in his post‑lunch speech, said that about 37 properties had already been surveyed under the Six Men’s Life Improvement Project, representing roughly half of the occupying homeowners in the disputed area.  

 

Jordan, the labour minister, told the House: “The people of Six Men’s are tremendously happy with the progress that is being made by the Ministry of Housing and the National Housing Corporation. These are people who, from over 50 years now, have been in limbo with respect to… owning the land that they’ve been on for multiple generations.  

 

“I am happy to report to this honourable chamber and to the country generally, that the National Housing Corporation, under the Ministry of Housing, has surveyed, I believe at this point, close to half of the spots in Six Men’s.”  

 

He accused the previous Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration of describing residents of the St Peter district – situated near several luxury properties – as squatters when they sought to purchase the land on which they lived.  

 

By contrast, he said, the government and the NHC had begun the process of legally transferring the land to residents.  

 

“Up until about three weeks before Christmas, 37 residents received their letters indicating to them that they can come in. All of these surveys have been done,” he explained, noting that residents are expected to pay about $1 400 for lots of around 2 500 to 3 500 square feet.  

 

Taking a swipe at the opposition, Jordan accused the political party of using terms like “corruption and talk of corruption” to influence Barbadians.  

 

He added: “I did not come to politics, and I know many of my colleagues did not come… to play around. We knew it would be tough. But nobody comes to politics, nobody takes office to represent the people of the country, believing that every day you have to fight lies.”  

 

Offering a strong defence of the NHC and the Ministry of Housing, Jordan disclosed that residents of the Maynard’s Housing Area are in line for improvements to their units, including power washing of the exteriors and electrical upgrades.  

 

“As MP, I am happy on behalf of the people of St Peter who are benefiting from the work of the Ministry of Housing,” he concluded. (IMC)