In a significant stride toward poverty alleviation, Antigua’s Home Assisted Programme for the Indigent (HAPI) has successfully handed over fully renovated homes to two families in Swetes and Hatten. The initiative, which focuses on improving living conditions for vulnerable residents, provided these refurbishments at absolutely no cost to the homeowners.
Social and Urban Improvement Minister Rawdon Turner personally oversaw the handover ceremonies for Arlene Wilson and her 15-member family in Swetes, and Shamara Thomas and her nine-member household in Hatten. The renovation work was expertly executed by construction teams from National Housing, demonstrating the government’s commitment to practical solutions for housing challenges.
Minister Turner emphasized the program’s non-partisan nature, stating: ‘HAPI operates without regard to political affiliation or racial background. Our singular mission remains helping citizens escape poverty through improved living conditions.’ He revealed that the program has already enhanced over 100 homes since its inception, with recent arrivals of construction materials enabling simultaneous multiple upgrades across different locations.
The minister addressed criticism from opposition figures, characterizing attempts to discourage participation in HAPI as ‘deeply unfortunate.’ He pointed to dramatic before-and-after photographs as undeniable evidence of the program’s transformative impact. ‘Today marked a emotional milestone as we helped two families escape deplorable conditions,’ Turner noted, referencing one homeowner’s tearful reaction upon receiving her refurbished property keys.
Mary Baltimore, Coordinator of the Social Protection Board, working alongside HAPI coordinator Inspector Veldon Ragguette, described the dual home presentations in a single day as a landmark achievement for both the benefiting families and the implementing agencies.