The Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller ON, MP officially opened the community centre built by the NHT in Greenwich Town.Additionally, the NHT wants to find out if Jamaicans living overseas find the NHT’s products and services useful through it Diaspora Survey. Also, are you planning to buy your home this year? We have some great tips for you to consider. Additionally, the NHT congratulates Emancipation Park as it celebrates 10 years of service to Jamaica.
PM OPENS COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR RESIDENTS IN GREENWICH TOWN
“A complete community centre.” That is how Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller described the new multifunctional community centre located at 88-100 Spanish Town Road, as she officially opened and handed over the facility to residents of Greenwich Town on Wednesday, March 14, 2012.Scores of residents attended to witness the symbolic opening of the centre that is intended to become the “hub of social transformation” for residents in the area.
In delivering the keynote speech at the event, the prime minister stressed the socially transformative role of community centres, charging that learning social and vocational skills will result in personal, community and national development.
The prime minister thanked the National Housing Trust for providing the centre, which the Trust constructed as part of its Inner City Housing Project (ICHP).The centre consists of a large multipurpose room, three shop spaces, and 15 rooms, which include a meeting room; a conference room; HEART/NTA training rooms; a music room and a community access point- for computer training, internet access, and library services.On the outside are a lighted multipurpose court for netball and basketball, a small multipurpose sports field and parking lots.
Already the centre is offering a music for social transformation project to children aged 8- 19.Additionally, the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Hunts Bay Police in collaboration with its Community Safety Branch, has recently begun serving the community from one of the centre’s shops.
Chairman of the NHT, Mr. Howard Mitchell, encouraged the residents of communities along Spanish Town Road to collaborate to make successful use of the centre. The residents include beneficiaries of the two ICHP developments in the area, Caribbean Palms at 88-100 Spanish Town Road and Palm Grove at 231 Spanish Town Road. He called them to “join in a national, non partisan, non tribal, cooperative movement to achieve community and national development.”
NHT Managing Director, Mrs. A. Cecile Watson, invited the residents to be partners in executing the transformative work of the centre. Mrs. Watson dubbed the centre “a first class space” that requires the best efforts of all stakeholders.The centre has so far attracted private sector partnerships from Jamaica Energy Partners and Jamaica Public Service Company.
In bringing her remarks, president of Caribbean Palms Strata Corporation, Mrs Michelle Morgan Smith, accepted the partnership offer on behalf of the residents to transform Greenwich Town into “skyscrapers of social excellence.”
DIASPORA MARKET SURVEY FOR JAMAICANS OVERSEAS
In addition to local residents, the NHT is reaching out to Jamaicans living overseas, to find out if they find NHT products and services useful. This survey will be available until midnight, April 13, 2012. Please feel free to invite other Jamaicans outside of Jamaica to participate in this survey. You must be 18 years or older to participate in this survey.
If you have any questions regarding the questionnaire, feel free to send an email to nhtdiaspora@nht.gov.jm . For information on how you can benefit from the NHT call 876-929-6500-9 or 1-800-858-3219. Wesay a big thank you to Jamaicans overseas for agreeing to participate in the NHT Diaspora Survey!
QUICK TIPS FOR HOUSE SHOPPING
Whether you live overseas or in Jamaica, we have some great tips for you to consider.
Watch for the hidden expenses.
a. An apartment may offer you the convenience of having people living in close proximity to you, but will you be able to manage the related maintenance costs?
b. A house may need some modifications to make it suitable to your specific needs (for example, storage, re-tiling, security grill, water heating, fixtures & fittings etc.). All of this may come at a high cost.
c. A house may need substantial changes to the structure (for example, adding a room). These changes must conform to the restrictive covenants.
d. You may have to sacrifice some social habits (for example, listening to loud music) in order to fit in the new community.
For more house shopping tips, you may visit the NHT website at: www.nht.gov.jm
Additionally, the NHT congratulates Emancipation Park as it celebrates 10 years of service to Jamaica. Can you believe that Emancipation Park is ten (10) this year?Yes... the Park has achieved a significant milestone. This is especially important as Jamaica gets ready to commemorate its year of Jubilee. There are several plans in place to acknowledge this milestone.
The theme selected for the year’s celebrations is “Freedom Journey”. The commemoration of this milestone includes the staging of a series of cultural, entertaining and informative events throughout the year which will cater to the entire family.
For more updates on the Park’s Calendar of Events, visit this link: http://www.nht.gov.jm/media-room/news/emancipation-park-celebrates-10-years
CALL CENTRE NOW OFFERING LIVE HELP VIA THE NHT WEBSITE
The NHT now offers a Live Help Support system which takes the format of a web chat with its team of Customer Care agents. Live support can be accessed via the NHT corporate website during office opening hours by users locally as well as those overseas.
For more information about this and other NHT activities and programmes, visit our website at www.nht.gov.jm
