A newly constructed eight-bedroom, four-bathroom home for a 29-member family will be fully furnished before the occupants settle in, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed.

The property was delivered under the Government’s Housing Assistance for the Poor and Indigent programme, commonly known as HAPI.

Browne said the extent of the family’s hardship became clear during the election campaign, when officials discovered several related households living together in a severely deteriorated building without adequate amenities.

He credited Minister of State Michael Joseph with bringing the case to the Government’s attention and praised Social and Urban Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner and the Cabinet for advancing and funding the project.

The Prime Minister described the development as a major act of social support and said it demonstrates how HAPI can transform living conditions for vulnerable residents.

He also acknowledged Inspector Ragge, whom he identified as the originator of the initiative that evolved into HAPI. Browne said the officer initially repaired homes voluntarily with support from King Casino before former minister Samantha Marshall drew the work to his attention and the Government adopted it as a national programme.