He disclosed the Ministry is looking for alternatives to building one house per family as the island does not have enough land available. Frederick made the disclosure during an official trip to Argentina to discuss the housing challenges facing different countries in the hemisphere.

“Only 10% of our country is flat, 90% of the country is mountainous. Therefore, that 10% flat land comes under immense competing pressures - whether it’s tourism, agriculture, or residential. That is why now we have to move away, as a government, from the single-family dwelling houses,” Frederick explained.

The Housing Minister said the government will construct condominiums to address the housing shortages on-island. He, however, did not provide a tentative date for the commencement of the works of the condos. “We have to use the condominium avenue, which permits persons to buy a condo within an existing structure. That is how we are planning to go,” he said.

Prime Minister Pierre, following his meeting in Venezuela, had announced the coming year as the year for housing and infrastructure, and promised further details subsequently. He also disclosed Venezuelan assistance in the housing and infrastructure sectors. Gros Islet MP, Kenson Casimir, has also disclosed plans to construct a condominium complex in Cas-En-Bas, Gros Islet. Yet, it is unknown whether this complex will form part of the government’s larger housing agenda, or remain squarely a fulfilled constituency promise.

Housing Minister Frederick, however, stressed the need for a change in which housing is thought. “We have no choice. We have a housing shortage of approximately between 13,000 and 14,000. If we want to find flat lands to build 14,000 houses, that would be an impossible task. We have to change the way we build, we now have to go up,” he said.

 Addressing homelessness is a global concern. Although not included in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, homelessness is thought to jeopardise many of the SDGs.