The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A KEMP Road resident and her son yesterday were “lost for words” after being handed keys to a new home courtesy of Urban Renewal’s Small Homes Repair programme.

Cecile Johnson and her son, Rashad Adderley, at a key presentation ceremony near St Margaret’s Church said they were “most humbled” by receiving the home and were very grateful to Urban Renewal.

“I’m just lost for words,” Ms Johnson said yesterday. “I am just flabbergasted.”

Deputy Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis, the minister with responsibility for the Urban Renewal programme, said yesterday’s ceremony is yet another example of the government demonstrating its “love for our people, particularly the least amongst us”.

“This is what we call divine intervention,” Mr Davis said. “Because we may not see it or we may not feel it, but what we are doing here is spreading the love.”

He added: “It takes all of us to bring help and hope to each of us. As long as we are working together as a team, you’d be surprised to know what we will do for each other.”

Mr Davis also gave credit to contractor Terry Delancy, of Virgo Construction, who Mr Davis said did “much more” on the house “than we asked him to do here”.

Mr Delancy said repairs to the home initially cost some $40,000 but the cost increased by about $2,500 due to other various necessities. Nonetheless, Mr Delancy said he had no qualms about absorbing the extra costs.

“It gives me great joy to be able to assist and not just looking at the money but just be able to assist a family to get into a home,” he told The Tribune. “I know where they were living, and I know the conditions they were living in prior to having this home. And trust me, nothing gives me more joy than to see them in this home today, and to give God thanks and praise for the home.”

Urban Renewal Co-chair Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, said at the ceremony: “It is so encouraging to the community as well as to the nation because they would see the work that we’re trying to do to eliminate the slums, and that’s really our aim and objective.”