NDP turning over a new leaf

The Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) has outlined a new strategy as they seek to form the next government of this country.{{more}}

Speaking at a public meeting in the constituency of Marriaqua last Sunday, Senator St Clair Leacock said that the NDP was turning over a new leaf.

“Where we have been deficient, we are prepared to say so,” Leacock said as he outlined some of the revised policies the opposition party will implement, should they win the next general elections.

One such policy is that of housing.

According to Leacock, the NDP has two strategies that it will seek to adopt to address the need for housing.

He criticized the Unity Labour Party’s “Low Income Housing” programme saying that too often persons were left with the burden of a large debt.

Instead, the NDP Senator said that his party will provide the house building materials for the individual to do their own construction.

The other housing strategy as revealed by the NDP, will be a rent-to-own system where, according to Leacock, persons will pay a rent, with a portion to be allocated to a fund that will allow for the eventual purchase of the property.

He also spoke of a proposed plan for a constituency fund, which will allow the various area representatives to access funding for minor projects without the usual bureaucratic processes involved.

“We, this generation of politicians, can’t come back and say that we give you water, light – that is our job and your basic right,” Leacock said.

“That is nothing to brag on,” he continued, adding that it has become customary for politicians to make promises and not deliver on them once they are elected into office.

The Opposition Senator contended that the current political system is broken and needed to be fixed.

“It needs to be reformed,” Leacock noted, saying that his party will put into place a system to give people better service.

“Representatives should have access to a certain amount of funds for their constituency; these monies are to be allocated to do the works within the system,” he said. (DD)