NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – The Premier of Nevis the Honourable Mark Brantley has reaffirmed the Nevis Island Administration’s (NIA) commitment to the existing housing policy aimed at assisting police officers who are non-nationals serving on Nevis with acquiring a home.
Premier Brantley, who serves as Minister responsible for Security in the NIA, was at the time addressing the New Year Service for the Division “Nevis” of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF).
“The Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation, (NHLDC) which is the entity that builds homes on Nevis, by law those homes are only available to citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis. We, and I mean successive governments, have taken the position that some policy exemptions should be created.
“Officers have been allowed to acquire housing in Nevis through the NHLDC notwithstanding that you may not be a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis. And the idea behind that was really to allow some of you who are here and serving here, if you so choose, that this is where you want to put down your roots, that you can have a home of your own.”
According to the Premier, the initiative is part of community policing as officers would become embedded in the various communities, and as a consequence of their presence in the communities will assist in greater policing, greater monitoring, and therefore less crime.
He further disclosed that this is one of the government’s policies which is specifically designed to assist men and women in the Force who want to own a home.
“So encourage those of you who want to do that and are not just passing through, you want to settle down here, that you approach us through the Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation to see how we can assist in that regard.”
Premier Brantley also gave the assurance that while the NIA has no direct budgetary responsibility for police, the government would continue to work with Police to make their accommodations with respect to officers’ living quarters at the various police stations more comfortable.