Chicken And Egg

Which came first: Bermuda's housing shortage or its high divorce rate?

Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent and Senator Bob Richards think the divorce rate is exacerbating the housing problem. Peter Carey (program director of The Family Centre) and Althea Iris (president of Single Parents In Action) are convinced it's the other way round.

I suspect it's a bit of both. Financial difficulties destroy many marriages and finding the money to rent, buy or build a home in Bermuda isn't easy. On the other hand, a breakup will clearly turn one household into two unless one of the partners moves in with friends or relatives.

This isn't a criticism of one-parent families. Many are in that situation through no fault of their own; moreover, the family atmosphere may be better than it was when the other partner was around, particularly if that person was abusive.

However it illustrates that the two problems are connected. While the Government is now taking steps to address the housing shortage, perhaps it should also consider whether there's anything it could be doing to help those who tie the knot to live happily ever after - or not tie the knot at all.

Comments

[big bad wolf on 21.12.04 at 18:38]

Its about time that Bermuda divorced the PLP Government based on that excuse for the housing problem!

[CB on 22.12.04 at 10:58]

This is idiotic. I guess you can get figures to say anything.

Twice as many people are getting married as divorced. If anything, logic would say this should be HELPING the housing problem.

This comment is almost better than blaming house prices on Coldwell Bankers.

I am truly worried about Ashfield. Is he still smoking I wonder ??

[Steve Moffat on 23.12.04 at 19:18]

What a load of cr@p!!!!

We'll never get rid of the housing shortage until government put a cap on how much you can sell a house for...and that won't happen anytime in my lifetime. As to a lack of land...why can't (won't) the government build up...multi story, and have a mix of low cost and full cost condo's.

The housing shortage could be fixed in less than a year, but that would be calamitous, there you are with your 4 million mortgage and suddenly your house is only worth 750,000....that's why we have a shortage of housing in Bermuda....no other reason.

Steve