A WHOPPING $25 MILLION was spent up to last year to accommodate workers in Government offices, and this must be reduced under the current administration.

Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Senator Maxine McClean, gave this assurance yesterday as she revealed the ever-rising rental bill.

She said the situation could not continue, particularly since Government owned several properties and buildings which were unoccupied or in need of repair.

McClean said sometimes the conditions of those Government-owned buildings were "no worse" than those for which the Government was paying high rental fees.

She said, therefore, that in her capacity as chairman of a sub-committee looking into such matters of public spending, the sub-committee would seek to identify key buildings owned by Government with a view to retrofitting, repairing or rebuilding them.

McClean added while this would incur major costs, it would in the long term lead to a major reduction of rent.

"In the absence of quality working conditions, employees cannot be at their most productive," she said, emphasising the need for healthy buildings and properly equipped offices.

Crying shame

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office also said it was a crying shame that she could not get relevant information as part of the sub-committee's objectives supported by the Ministry of Housing.

Turning her attention to housing – arguably Barbados' most crying need – she said while the last administration had sought to realise maximum economic gains, one of the major shortcomings for Barbadians was housing, with thousands being unable to own, rent, lease or even find accommodation.

To this end, she said, Government was in the process of establishing a mechanism for housing needs, and had already allotted resources to address the situation. Among the measures, she said, was providing tenantry land at $2.50 per square foot and to honour Government's pledge to provide 500 houses in 500 days.

She said a recent tragedy had shown the level of demand for housing and the need to look at accommodating workers and ensuring that those seeking work permits could clearly show how they could be housed.

McClean, whose ministerial portfolio includes immigration, also expressed concern that numerous migrant workers were being exploited, while the rampant overcrowding was creating health risks and other problems.

"It's a frightening spectre," she said adding that the situation for these workers had moved from the rental of rooms to rental of beds.