After noisy protest, HDC meets with disabled community

HOURS after a noisy protest by members of the disabled community on January 8 at the Housing Development Corporation's (HDC) head office in Port of Spain, the corporation issued a press release denying allegations made during the protest.

The disabled community protested in collaboration with members of the First Wave Movement.

One of the protesters, Melissa Lewis, gave an impassioned speech about the plight faced by those she represents.

“We represent the voices of thousands of differently-abled citizens: men, women, children and the elderly who have been abandoned by a system that should protect and uplift them.

"We represent the blind, the wheelchair-bound and all those here and out there who navigate life with challenges that most of you cannot even begin to fathom.

“For years we have knocked on the door of the HDC and other authorities. For years we have been met with indifference, excuses and empty promises.

"This stops now! We are here today because housing is not a privilege, it is a basic human right.”

But the HDC statement disputed their claims.

It said, “The HDC recognises these statements as inaccurate and emphasises its ongoing commitment to ensuring equal access to housing for all citizens, including those with disabilities.

“As part of the HDC's dedication to equitable housing distribution under its established criteria, 46 units were allocated in 2024. This initiative highlights the corporation's continued commitment to expanding housing opportunities for all citizens, particularly those with disabilities.

“Contrary to their assertions, the HDC has allocated homes to differently-abled individuals, adhering to a clear and equitable process. Over past years, the HDC has allocated housing units specifically designed to accommodate citizens who are visually impaired or living with disabilities.

“More specifically, Minister of Housing Camille Robinson-Regis has redirected priorities to providing increased rental allocations.

“...Managing director of the HDC Jayselle McFarlane and other HDC officials orchestrated a meeting with these members today, January 8, 2025, where a detailed breakdown of the housing media release allocation process was explained. This included the percentage of units reserved for differently abled individuals, as well as the criteria for eligibility and the fairness of the process."

It said they also discussed other concerns over housing availability, accessibility and future initiatives, and the meeting "served as an open forum for dialogue." The HDC said it had "reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring transparent communication and equitable solutions for all citizens.”

Newsday spoke with Nekisha Pierre, a member of the blind community and advocate for disabled citizens, who attended the meeting.

She said, "We believe our concerns are valid, and we thought that the meeting was fruitful, because they made some promises to us, and some suggestions as well."

While she preferred not to go into detail about those promises, she said future meetings with the HDC are to be held, as soon as next week.

They were given information the HDC does not make public.

"We do think that they need to take a greater effort in educating the public on the processes and the inner workings of how they allocate houses," she commented.

Pierre also thanked McFarlane for giving the associations an audience.

"She was very kind and we thank her for the opportunities that she would be giving us for help in the future."