THE EDITOR, Sir:
ON A recent visit to Greater Portmore, St. Catherine, I was overwhelmed by the mass housing development. And while I applaud the developers for trying to provide housing to the nation, I'm a bit haunted by the idea that their developments have become more of a flea market for low/middle income persons. The layout and design of the units leaves a lot to be desired, and I've all but concluded that they have paved the way for a community that will climax as a chaotic cluster of both humans and the built environment.
The liveable space for most units are so minimal, the residents are forced to converge outside their houses, in the streets or at whatever space is large enough to comfortably fit three or more persons. Now, the normal observer would ask themselves why is it that every time they pass through the neighbourhood there are always people outside their homes, or in the streets just lounging.... why can't they just stay inside their units like 'normal' persons?
The few who haven't extended their unit as yet, (for whatever reasons, mostly financial) have lounge chairs and hammocks, wooden tables and televisions, all arranged in a setting imitating the extinct living room which the developers no longer see fit to provide in the design of these pre-fabricated units. These are the few who are trying to make their space comfortable without going into the streets to loiter.
A BETTER WAY
I know that the demand for houses is great, and the public and private sector can't even fathom the idea of how many houses are needed until the nation is 'comfortably housed', and yes, I know price (which is not even that affordable to the average Joe), the materials used and the method of construction is always a factor determining the size of the units, but I still believe that they could have been a better way to solve the housing crisis.
What about building up instead of out? What about providing housing that isn't dubbed as a 'starter unit' because, let's face it, there exists no such thing in Jamaica. Many are so enthused in actually owning a home that they are going to put all they have into renovating and extending the unit, and by the time they realise it, they have made such a significant and startling improvement on the initial structure, that they now know that this is where they'll be for many years to come.
I am, etc.,
SAJEEN BELL,
sajeenb@hotmail.com
Assoc. Architect
Kington 6
Via Go-Jamaica
