March 2017 | Business View Caribbean

120 121 The Housing & Land Development Corporation Preferred vendor n Great Bargains Depot greatbargainsdepot@hotmail.com ton, Diamond, Peters Hope, Ottley Hall, San Souci, Mannings Village(Byrea), Clare Valley, Green Hill, Petit Bordel, Fitz Hughes, Cha- teaubelair,Hope (Vermont), Colonairie, Car- atal, Langley Park and Georgetown.“We have also been involved in housing reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, following the pas- sage of several weather events,”Alleyne says. “And because we are the housing and techni- cal arm of the Ministryof Housing (inclusive of Informal Human Settlements),those reconstruc- tion projects were a suitable fit.”Theweather events towhichAlleyne alludes includeHurri- caneTomas in 2010,and several freak tropical storms and flood events in the years follow- ing on up to Tropical StormMatthew in 2016. Alleyne says the HLDC is currently restructuring to improve the agency’s efficiency and effective- ness. It is also willing to pursue more options for development with the private sector.“I believe that for our long-term survival, the way we do business has to improve,”he declares.“We have to critically look at the business sustaining aspects of our operation which would mean we’d continue building houses for clients with private land.We have the expertise, the know-how, and the in- house capability to do subdivision designs lead- ing to sites and services development as well as multi-occupancy type developments. So, the hope is that we can sustain the substantial demand and interest that people have in having us construct homes for them and at the same instant we’re aiming toward sustainabil- ity.”All these efforts would further support the prime mandate of affordable housing solutions. Meanwhile St.Vincent’s Housing & Land Devel- opment Corporation will continue to address the needs of the country’s most vulnerable citizens. “Vincentians are proud of their homes; they like to own their own homes,” says Alleyne. “But it’s not always affordable given the commercial options. But we compare well with what other countries in the region offer. I would say that, over the years, 95% of our customers have been satisfied with us and the product they have come to own.” greatbargainsdepot@hotmail.com Great BarGains Depot Is proud to support the Housing & Land Development Corporation and would like to offer congratulations for the recognition of their work throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines.