By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration officially opened the new Pinecrest subdivision on Friday, a move officials said was in keeping with the government’s promise to provide more affordable homes to Bahamians.

Among those present at Friday’s opening ceremony was Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis; Minister of Housing and Transport, Jobeth Coleby-Davis and Works and Utilities Minister, Alfred Sears, among others.

During the event, officials also presented three families with keys to their new homes in the subdivision.

“On January 28, 2022, the ministry of transport and housing participated in a ground breaking ceremony with Arawak homes limited for Pinecrest,” Mrs Coleby-Davis said at Friday’s opening ceremony. “Today, now four months later from the groundbreaking, we gather to mark the presentation of three of the first keys to the homeowners in Pinecrest.

“The timeline for the quick delivery of the homes in Pinecrest should come as no surprise since the Davis-led administration is intent on meeting the needs of Bahamians via its affordable housing initiative. In our blue print for change, we promised to empower Bahamians by making our economy work for all Bahamians.”

She said the housing project – which is being constructed in phases - is a private public partnership between the government and Arawak’s Home Limited.

Some 47 homes are expected to be built in the first phase of the development, according to Mrs Coleby-Davis.

Each home will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, she added.

The price tag for the homes starts at $169,000.

“Homeownership is one of the basic forms of human empowerment and it allows for the creation of a sense of community,” she said.

“These homes will serve as a place for family, gatherings and the yard space will provide for a space for children to play and neighbours will be able to come together and interact as our families were able to do many, many years ago.”

While giving keynote remarks, Prime Minister Davis praised the housing initiative, which, he said, was another example of the government demonstrating its commitment to help Bahamians.

He said the need for affordable housing in the country has “never been greater” given the devastating impacts of Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19.

“With Hurricane Dorian, COVID lockdowns and a global inflation crisis, it’s been hard for a lot of families to weather these storms. One after another but we are coming back. We might get locked down every once in a while, but you can count on us to get back up again,” the prime minister said.

Mr Davis also pointed to several relief measures announced recently by his administration to first time homeowners.

“Currently, concessions are available for persons to purchase a home for the first time. We are expanding these concessions so that people who purchase a home or who purchase land to construct their first home or purchase a house and renovate it to be their first home will receive the same level of concessions,” he added.

“We are also increasing the level of exemption for first home buyers.. and we are reducing VAT on property transfers below $1m. in addition, we are reducing the duty of building supplies.”

He also said that his government was one of action, adding “these would be the first homes that would’ve been built and offered to the Bahamian people in more than four years.”

At yesterday’s ceremony, the new homeowners all expressed joy after receiving the keys to their homes.

One of them was 18-year-old, Shante Taylor.

“I feel excited,” she told reporters Friday. “Growing up, my mom always instilled in us that having your own stuff sets you apart from everyone else … and my mom had her first home at 19. I told her that I was going to beat her and I did so it was a goal that I wanted for a very long time.

“It’s all thanks to God and my mom. Like I’ve been saying all day, she’s my biggest motivator,” she added.