Close to 300 carpenters, masonries, artisans and contractors will get the opportunity to participate in what officials are calling the “most significant and substantial home repair programme in the history of The Bahamas.”

Officials of Urban Renewal 2.0 launched the government’s multi-million dollar small home repair programme yesterday at St. Agnes Anglican Church.

The government has allocated $9 million for the home repair programme, which will be carried out through several over the hill areas throughout the country.

Scores of contractors packed the church to hear the announcement.

Co-Chair of the Urban Renewal Algernon Allen spoke about how this programme would affect the economy.

“We hope that at the end of the day, it will be literally the transformation of areas of our urban communities. We hope that at the end of the day, it will not only be an uplifting of the homes but of the spirits of the residents of the homes. We hope that at the end of the day, the impact of the small home repair will resonate throughout the country,” he said.

Mr. Allen stressed that the programme is far reaching.

“We expect value for money. We are dealing with the homes of many who do not have as much as others in our country. We want you to feel that sense of responsibility that if we cheat them, we cheat ourselves,” he said.

“We want to make sure that going into Christmas and into the New Year, that we are able to feed our families, provide some joy for ourselves and lift the spirits of neighbourhoods, families and individuals.”

Mr. Allen also explained that hundreds of homes have already been selected.

“They have been surveys done through officers and social services and they have done a very thorough investigation and evaluation of the homes in most urgent need – taking into account not only the structures and the means the people have to make the repair,” he said.

Parliamentary Secretary Renward Wells made a charge to those labourers gathered.

“This whole small home repair programme is an immediate intervention. It is an answer to address their cries. The government is going to expend millions of dollars to repair homes throughout this budgetary period,” he said.

“The government sees this as a major social intervention for those receiving and those carrying out those repairs – the contractors, those who are in need of employment. This is part of the government’s equipment to these communities. You are being given the opportunity to showcase your work.

“This programme is not a hand-out. But for us it is many hands – your hands, the urban renewal’s hands – lifting up our people out of the situation in which they find themselves so that we all together collectively can open up that door of hope for that mother or father to give them the kind of quality of life that is so indicative in these communities.”

The contracts are expected to be awarded soon.