An aggressive $10 million programme to help struggling homeowners renovate their homes is set to get started as soon as the new fiscal year rolls in on July 1 and Minister of Works and Urban Development Philip Davis said out of work contractors could also be on tap for jobs.

This initiative is tasked with completing small-scale renovations to houses owned by occupants who have been identified by social service representatives as needing such assistance.

“Assessments are going on as we speak to determine small homes of the indigents or elderly people that require repairs,” he said. “As soon as that report is prepared and as soon as the budget kicks in we will start looking at beginning those repairs.”

The repair programme is an aspect of Urban Renewal 2.0
Minister Davis said the work of Urban Renewal and its centres on New Providence and Grand Bahama since its re-launch in 2012 has created positive impact on the lives of many persons through its myriad schedule of services.
He explained that during the period July 1, 2012 to June 11, 2013 the sum of $5,183,671.95 was disbursed to the Urban Renewal Programme.
He said the Ministry of Work’s technical officers will be soon scouring these inner city areas for contractors and other handy men who need jobs.
“The goal is to find contractors and artisans in the areas where these houses need to be repaired,” he added. “We want to pay minimum sums to have these repairs done, more going to material rather than labour.
“So if a neighbour is a carpenter we could hire a neighbour to do the repairs. We are trying to localise the work and ensure that the monies are spent in these communities.”