Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Government will provide jobs for an estimated 30,000 unemployed people in the construction sector through the construction of more houses. She said housing was a key part of T&T's social support system which acted as a springboard to get people out of disadvantage and poverty. The Prime Minister was speaking yesterday to new homeowners, fire victims and beneficiaries of grants at the Housing Development Corporation Building, South Quay, Port-of-Spain. Persad-Bissessar said the housing sector was vital to economic growth.
She said she read newspaper reports where Central Bank Governor Ewart Williams said Government needed to invest in infrastructure. "As we do that, we create jobs and when you create those jobs that in turn goes into the multiplier effect that spins into the economy because then you need to buy goods and services," Persad-Bissessar said. Government was not complacent, she said, and with a sensible approach by all partners there soon would be a stable and sustainable growth within the housing market. She added: "Trinidad and Tobago is facing a series of challenges which require a determined and collective response from stakeholders.
"These challenges include ensuring the economic prosperity and sustainable development of our cities and of our rural areas." She said yesterday's ceremony was recognition of the fundamental contribution which housing played in that effort. Five people received keys for new homes after theirs were destroyed by fire, 11 got grants for home improvement and 33 got keys for new homes. Speaking to reporters after the event, Persad-Bissessar said for the rest of the month and next month, Government would turn the sod for several new projects "to further kickstart the economy."