Cheap homes pilot plan

Business, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday February 12th, 2014

 By GYNNIE KERO

MORE fancy-looking homes will rise in Eastern Highlands villages once a pilot project offered by the International Housing Concept gets off the ground.

Country general manager Bernard Kelontii said IHC’s vision was to integrate housing with the promotion and marketing of PNG commodities.

He said interested locals could apply to get a decent home after paying a registration fee of K100.

Kelontii said the full amount for the two bedroom- home was in the range of K30,000 and could be paid over a 10-year period.

He said: “Coffee farmers in Goroka can get a home if interested. They register with K100 and pay the K30,000 in 10 years.

“In return, we (International Housing Concept) buy their coffee, thus giving them the confidence to maintain the supply chain of coffee in the province.

“It is part of our concept undertaken in this pilot project.”

Chairman Sig Nordal has urged the people in remote areas of Kainantu, Obura-Wonenara, Okapa and Henganofi who were interested to  register for these houses.

Kelontii said the reaction from the people in the Highland region was huge and he was extremely excited about being able to help his countrymen. 

He said people in the Highlands had been praying for houses for years and this was a dream come true for them.

He said more important were the new opportunities that the housing project was offering to the local farmers. 

“Farmers and villagers welcome that International Housing helps promote their commodities as a part of this project.” 

Kelontii affirmed that the true spirit of the Highlanders was coming out and people were teaming up to help promote houses throughout the region and getting farmers to team up for the marketing of their coffee.

He said with a better housing situation in the region, the living conditions of the people would also improve and jobs would also be created as a part of the project  as locals would be hired for the construction. 

Kelontii said the company was considering other regions in the country and would assess the outcome of this project in the Highlands. 

IHC had set up a representative offices in Eastern Highlands and Port Moresby.