The new State House project is said to be nearing completion after a year and a half of work.
The project, which involves a residence for the country’s head of state, administrative offices, a utility building, an electoral office and car park facilities, is now ninety percent complete and is expected to be handed over to Government by May of next year, according to the Government Information Service (GIS).
Project Manager for the State House Project, Meng Shuang Nai, speaking through an interpreter, Sammy Ye, who is also Marketing Manager, said that work is now being done on completing external walls surrounding the building along with other cosmetic work.
“You can see now we started landscaping and doing external wall work, we have finished about 85 percent and the road, we have finished around 60 percent [of that] so that is the current situation of this project,” he told GIS.
The old State House building which will be converted into a conference centre to host regional and international guests, as part of the project.
GIS said physical work on that phase of the project will commence soon.
“The older State House, because the Government and the supervisor engineer requested [a] different version, we have not started yet, but we will start that soon because the other design and drawing have already been confirmed. We wanted our client- the Dominica Government to be happy so we will make sure the older State House is the perfect project so I think in the future, we will finish that nicely and it will be a historic site,” Ye said.
The exterior of the old State House building will also be modernized to compliment the aesthetics of the new State House building.
The new State House project, according to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, when complete will signify Dominica’s growth and pride for its people as an independent nation.
The project, costing EC $27 million, is being financed through grant funds provided by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
Construction of the new state house has received strong criticism from certain sectors of the Dominican public, including a petition initiated by businessman, Jerry Brisbane. Critics say that the project funds could be better spent on more pressing areas of development in the country.
Ahhh Ahhhh Ahhhh magway sah, i cannot believe it, u mean to tell me with so many Dominicans crying for an increase in wages, so many Dominicans struggling at the end of the month dem fellas more interested in living in a palace, Leblanc must be turning in his grave at the greed of todays leaders… ahhh ahhh ahhh where is your conscience.
CORRECTION.
The State House is not being financed by grant money provided by the Govt. of the Republic of China.
It is being financed out the U.S.$.40 million loan, contracted by Mr. Skerrit on behalf of the Dominica Govt. in 2009 with the Import Export Bank of China at an interest rate of 2%/annum. We have to repay this loan over a 20 years, with a 5 yr. grace period.
(See also Sean Douglas’ report 0f 5 Sept., 2009 on The Dominica.net)
So we took a loan to give the CHINESE jobs??????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder what the Chinese say about us behind closed doors? and the Venezuelans and the EU representatives and the World Bank people and the and the and the? In fact I don’t want to know nuh too humiliating! I’m cringing just guessing.
People voted so that one person and his friends can have access to this form of luxury, while they themselves can barely afford the shacks that they reside in. A mansion of evil is what I call it! Bad decisions will come out of that mansion; the kind of decisions that will not benefit the lives of the majority. That mansion represents a class system that is widening the gap between rich and poor, so NO, as a Dominican,I am not fascinated with this example of greed and stupidity!!
“The new State House project, according to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, when complete will signify Dominica’s growth and pride for its people as an independent nation.”
How is a state building funded by another country supposed to instill pride as an independent nation? If anything it shows how dependent we have to be on other countries to build infrastructure.
The new State House will be a beautiful one. There is no doubt it will be Dominica’s pride. After all is said and done, I am confident that Dominicans will appreciate it and enjoy it. I can’t wait to view it when it is completed.
Justice & Truth, I’m afraid no access for plebs like us. They have built a reinforced security checkpoint right at the entrance gate.You thought you could walk just in to say “hallo” and have a cup of tea? Buckingham Palace has public tours but not this one, malgraysa!
Oh. Please
looking good.At last,i believe there’s hope.
Public library
27 million for a house and the public library next to it rotting! Strups
There is a plan for that too.
OK it there already, what we can do now? Alas de money done spend, taxpayers like me and de children I doh make yet and their children will pay for it. I suggest Skerrit and co. forget about putting president to live there, and using the residence part as a Library (including a legal section with all our laws and our constitutional documents) and learning centre, to me that making more sense than a house for somebody de tax-payers already paying big money for them to wave and grin at their bons gens and wine and dine their friends. Merci.
Do not be negative. Why think of that? Pray to God to live long and healthy. When it is complete and in a few years if you are alive you will be singing another tune.
LOL well said! wave and grin for real!
Excellent news…hurry up and finish the rest
Are you going to be able to use the pool the library etc those facilities are needed in the schools. What waste, Dominica should invest in the children,not in the comfort of the ruling elite and there extended families
The house of waste – remember nothing is ever for free
Well unfortunately the “niggeritis” syndrome does include the belief that it is free and if it is to paid for then someonelse will pay for it.
Now I am not so concerned with a %age of the voters having that syndrome; the problem is when our “leaders” have it too as that is when choas reigns as we are seeing.
Broke, no jobs, crime escalating, drugs use rising, bankruptcy rising, no private sector investment, and on it goes but we do have a 30 million dollar state palace which took priority when the country has no money. The very definition of niggeritis.
I also heard that there will be two big, red and hungry dragons sitting before the main entrance ready to swallow some nice domnichens. All those who are against this Champs Elysées of Dominica will be swallowed up or down. So you all are merrily invited on May Day to be feasted on. Just come as you are!!! And lots of thumbs for me please,they has just come back and although they hurt so much,that will be the only way to know how many of you will be present(and disappeared).
You and your paps????
Negative! Let us hope there will be no lions on the gates. God forbid! I do think it will be a sore sight and will not be befitting the State House. May this never occur.
Papa Doc had a palace like that. Not earthquake that take it down?
dont look at the building only for now look at it as for our kids future its time alot of dca people stop b small minded. Dominica needs a change especially in our judical system the old british laws need to change. Step by step skerrit u making us move forward and as for jerry brisbande yre so right i expect u to b mad after we got independence from britain and slavery u guys was our mordern slave masters so shame on dominicans who do not want to rally with skerit let this place move forward. Why dont the opposition never think of doing things like that cause u know y they dont have the links as rossie or skerit so the only thing they know is to go and burrow money they cant pay. The next thing skeit need to do is put a branch of the gov in the town of portsmouth so that people on the north can get documents done without going far thnk u skerit !! labor power
Kamem, when a Dominican bachay a Liat and go St Martin or guada, and see one two sky scrapers they can get enchasse eh! Papa! Doh talk for when they reach real big city like London, Paris and NYC. Absolutely Bazoodee! If they could transplant de Empire state building to Roseau, yeah man! They would do that in an instant!
Big city guy, give that building a few years and you will see, already this building was an unnecessary expense, we haven’t even factored in the cost of maintenance yet! De country struggling to maintain our little ill-equipped PMH, doh talk for schools on de island and other state infrastructure. Look at de Ministry, eh magway sa! Windows in a mess, steel grinning here and there? Even de spanking new Financial centre, cracks in de stair well and leaking roof, and we spending 27 Million to do what? To prove what? That we backward like some of those corrupt African politicians, investing in superficial infrastructure whilst we leave our essential infrastructure behind. Boy sometimes I wonder if our politicians have any common sense….maybe if we let go a few goats in cabinet, they might come up with some better ideas.
and what may I ask, will our children benefit from this state house in the future? will the state house be providing jobs to our children in the future? will it be generating some sort of income to our children in the future? don’t you realize we have to pay back our loan to china? don’t you realize that most of the labour was provided by chinese nationals and they send their money they have gotten pay back home? don’t yourealize thatthe bigger the building is the more it’s going to cost to maintain it? i don’t haave to rally with skerrit if you want to do that it is your choice as for me i prefer my self than skerrit as a matter of fact i prefer my self more than anybody. that is why i prefer my country my country more than china, thast is why i preferred if we dominicans had gotten more jobs on that building so that more of the 26 million would have stayed home in dominica. dominica get too many IDIOT SAVANT
LOL you are funny! Thanks for that laugh
great job guys!!!!!!…real improvements from the old buildings that existed here b 4,i love it and hopefully we can see the entire thing early next year
The word “Philistine” comes to mind.
I would like to know when the government will decide to develop Roseau to attract visitors so that they be able to teturn in our shores.
Be confident. They visited prior to these new buildings being constructed. Why not now?
They will return. Ensure that crimes/murders are diminished. These are what will run them away, that they may never return.
Visitors want to enjoy their stay happily, in comfort, peace and safety. They visit for an enjoyable time and not to experience a bad one.
I would like to know when the government will plan to develop the city, too attract visitors return in our shores
Well with that State Palace nothing to worry about at all because stay-over vistors should increase 100 times over after all what ah beautifool beeldeeng eet eez! and it cost over EC$30 million oui!!! so in no time we can earn that back because the toursits will happily pay at least US$20 to veezeet eet.
Skerrit has it all under control doh worry!!!
When I visit I would not mind paying at least a nominal amount to view the surroundings.
SUCH A WASTE OF MONEY!
Do u know that the president is paid to live at his dwelling house. Do u know the house in Morne Bruce is in a deplorable condition. Do u know also that its only in Dominica we do not have such building that is being built now. Everytime development comes we complain. yet still those of u complaining sit by and say noting in happening in Dominica. It is very sad that you all minds are so narrow.
I recall reading on DNO what the Prime Minister stated about his accommodation, that some rooms are without water, are damp, have termites (?). After I read it, I told someone in Toronto about it. The person informed me it is a shame that a Prime Minister of a country should live under such a condition. I replied when the new State House is completed, he will have a decent place to live.
Therefore, fellow Dominicans, you who criticize the PM, please cease doing so. He is presently living a life of sacrifice in an uncomfortable house. Some of you reside in a smaller house and you do not have to put up with what he is presently putting up with. You must give and take and be fair. Have respect for your Prime Minister.
The project, costing EC $27 million, is being financed through grant funds provided by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
You are misinformed my friend. We took a loan from a Chinese bank to pay for this!
Whose money? Is it yours? Did you work for it and contribute to it?
Justice & truth. Yes, it is all our money and yes, all people resident in Dominica paying for it, one way or the other, not those sitting comfortably in a far-awayu country and being pious.
When i came over in the spring of this year to visit my family and enjoy this beautiful island and people i was shocked to see how many Chinese businesses was in this island. My dad also advised me that the Chinese government has spend money and still is on new roads bridges and much more.im all for us helping each other out, but what reason do the Chinese government have to invest so much money on this beautiful island i wonder?
I hope your not vacationing from the US. I was shocked when I came from Dominica to the US that there were so many Chinese nationals and Chinese stores. I thought they only came to Dominica.
Well-said!
Yes but they are paying all their taxes and do not get preferential treatment over Americans.
PS I was also shocked at the amount of money owed to China by the US. I also thought they only spent money in Dominica. What could they possibly want in the great US of A
Wow,there are still low level thinking over seas…and we allowed them to come to Dominca???…..
My dad also advised me that the Chinese government has spend money and still is on new roads bridges and much more.im all for us helping each other out, but what reason do the Chinese government have to invest so much money on this beautiful island i wonder?
chinese investing all over the world.
Makes us suspicious, eh? They do it throughout the Caribbean. Guyana is no exception. Pray for Dominica and nationals.
Canada, Europe and U.S. did not help or as much. The Chinese government saw a way to help those in need to build up their country. Therefore it embraced the opportunity or took advantage of it (?)
What I object to is placing lions and such ungodly relics all over the place as if it is a Chinese country.
I realize that the government is indebted to the Chinese government and should be appreciative. Nevertheless, I do believe that the government should not allow this. Keep Dominica, Dominica as Dominica. Do not change its face and heritage.
Dominicans must speak up and write the government. I always emphasize respectfully and peacefully.
Very nice rendering of the facilty. Just hoped the same attention and focus was placed on the West Coast Highway in the Mahaaut/Massacre areas.
Also, a municipal parking lot in Roseau is long overdue.
Have patience! They will be constructed in time.
ay ay hold up a while nuh zor…. allu doh saying the 2nd pic well man…. if i’m not mistaken… the palace will be facing vicotoria street…. then it means the back of the building will be facing smp, sma etc etc…. but but i watching the pic… and i’m seeing acres of land with fine cut grass wii lol…. now on the building to the right… observe there’s an opening in the building… a cool design but what about when it rains…. wouldn’t it mean that rain is going to fall in the building…… not necessarily in any room but that’s just extra work on the cleaners….
It’s covered it was just part of the design.
Bashing a government for everything doesn’t help anyone. Not everyone will be happy with every decision. Power given to people has alway been and will be abused. We the people are the only ones that can truly make change and have the power to do so, starting from our households and communities. The fact that people struggle cannot all be blamed on the government. Youth today are not being brought up with a sense that hard work is what will make one successful. There is a sense everywhere that things should be made available, which a any state should for its citizen, but we don’t have to rely on it.
With that said, I guess there could have been many things to spend this money on but in some ways I agree with this new State House Compound. Everywhere else we go in this world, counties take a sense of pride in its national buildings and monuments as a representation of the country. Just like a lot of the other work being done by the Chineese, I would have hoped more Dominicans could have obtained gainful employment but sometimes such is life. Guess this is a case of having your cake and eating it.
I would like to see some other buildings and compounds being redone like the ancient library across the street.
I am a Dominican living abroad and wish that I didn’t feel that I had to. There should be more incentive for the small business man, less red tape for the pioneering entrepreneur, and more restrictions on foreign ownership within Dominica. It is hard enough for us to get a piece of the pie and it is seldom that a Dominican can with EC dollars can compete with foreign currency.
Just some stuff I wanted to get out without being too long.
One love all me DA people!!
You could do well to write the Dominica government about this. I do think that there are some people and too many who comment, speak and criticize but do nothing else. I am not referring to you but specifically some resident Dominicans.
how do we know if this project cost 27 million if the chinese did all the estimates and then gave us the loan and still got the contract to build it………..somethng is wrong and if the chinese go to that lenght to give politicians money under the table, then they are not worthy of being our diplomatic friend……….. we know they are not paying proper taxes or duties because they always give false documents….
its not right to call people fools, but those that support blindly without asking the hard questions are really are the ones responsible for taking dominica to the gutters.
It is a grant, that means we do not have to pay any part of that $27M back? but people (government) don’t just give out money, what is the hidden agenda. Hope it does not affect our peace and that of our children in the future. Couldn’t the funds be put to other good use, such as improvement in schools, hospitals etc?
Zicack Girl: ” Couldn’t the funds be put to other good use, such as improvement in schools, hospitals etc?”
The $27 million sum is to be used at the State House project, the State College, and housing in Roseau.
Tom, if I’m correctly informed the E.C.$. 27 million for the State House is only part of a loan for U.S.$.40 million we got from a Chinese bank. The rest of that money is supposed to go on other projects mentioned by you. We are supposed to pay back all of it though.
Did I overlook something on the report, I did not see that being mentioned.
Zicack girl, is not a grant, is a loan. Don’t automatically accept what’s in the press. They can get it wrong too.Check yourself before commenting.
I would love to have some more pictures of the house
Please, DNO…
is it correct to say that the project is grant funds
DNO. or has someone given false info ?
lollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
If each employee of the government take a piece of the building u all will be fine. No raises we need this building! Too funny. Vote labour in 2013!! Lol.
Hey so that’s where the government employees pay raise went. If each employee take a piece of the building u all will be fine. Too funny. Vote labour in 2013!! Lol.
A chinese man named “Sammy”? ok pa!
this a joke joke joke bloody joke
everyday someone is dieing with cancer and instead of buying an equipment just to test to see if your people have the disease …not asking you to buy medication …you want white house !! lord when will dominican ppl
wake up !!!
the article speaks of grant funds however everybody who is commenting speaks of loans and paying back… am i missing something?
someone set me wise ner, please
When are these blokes going to stop the lying. Please correct e if I am wrong here but when this project was shoved down our throats ( without dinner , wine and a romantic evening) we were told that the building would include a convention center so that we could host conventions with pride. It was also argued with lol reaction that the convention facility would afford us the opportunity to attract major conventions. We were never told that the old building would eventually become the convention center.
Secondly DNO the project is being sponsored by a loan and not through a grant – if a loan and a grant is similar in the operation of the government then I stand to be corrected.
Just a suggestion – if anyone wants to make a reasonable assessment of the cost of the state palace use the modest 3 bedroom $400 K mansion in Viellecase Case as a bench mark. Interestingly if we use a multiplying factor of say 20 the state palace would cost $8 Million. But if we use the true cost ( mafia cost) of the mansion in Viellecase then the multiplying factor of 20 would balance the equation.
This reminds me of a program I watched last night about the dictator president of Guinea Bissau and the amount of money he has pilfered and the amount he is spending on useless projects which will eventually sit as white elephants for a population of 700,000 people. There are so many parallels between these African countries (and their presidents) and Dominica.
ADMIN ADMIN ADMIN…After all the talk in the country and all the reports that i assume you have done on this state house issue u still call the money for the construction of the Statehouse a grant
GRANT:
Definition: An award of financial assistance in the form of money by the federal government to an eligible grantee with no expectation that the funds will be paid back.
This is a LOAN LOAN LOAN
Ask the project manager how well are the interior walls bugged and if the Chinese authorites can listen in fromm China.
lol lol,
they dont need to do that,sateliten can easly see and hear it all,lol,lool up every evening AND YOU”LL SEE THOSE BRIGHT YELLOW LIGHT,
LOL
Of course its bugged to the till…
stupes!!!!not interested in new state house nor new how many storey building on cork street. all i know is this Christmas things tight for us tax payers and money is spent unnecessarily by our government.
We welcome all the help we can get and though it could have indeed been spent elsewhere in the economy, the concern here is how many of our local manufacturers and suppliers benefited from this project? Was any of this Grant injected directly to the country?
It was injected by earl grant…LOL
It is not grant money. It’s a loan.
“Was any of this Grant injected directly to the country?”
LOL! No, it was slide in.
That’s just great! All our problems solved!
Between State Palace and changing the names of mountains the future looks very bright indeed!
When these LOANS are taken to build such USELESS monuments to politions, what abilities do they have to create EMPLOYMENT for the hundreds of youth graduating or leaving school every year?? Amazing! smh
every day i pass in front this building and ask myself…. did this cost $27 million or even $15 million?…. i think an investigation needs to be into how the funds were allocated… it wouldn’t surprise me if the good brother lennox linton, would ring the alarm…. anytime now the bell will ring…
So, let me guess,you need Lennox Linton to show you how to count and think?
Papa bondieu that was fast!!! Is either it not strong or our Dominican builders tiefing us all the time.
chinese that build it dummy
Monkey I was comparing the chinese builders to our builders who would have taken years to do the same building. It would have taken a DA firm ten years and halfway they would end up in court with the govt for eating the money.
or it really cost 7 million for everything
Mr Prime Minister, it seems you want us to have pride in things in our independent nation. Fine. Mr Prime Minister, we would much rather have pride in us having our very own international airport rather than having to beg other islands to assist us with our passenger air traffic.
Therefore Mr Prime Minister, when will Dominica’s international airport be “completed”?
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself the very same question….How is the International Airport gonna be built…
I know I know I know…Rivers, hills and valleys right…
Channel 1 Guess again and get out of your cocoon….you are being fed a dailly doese of stupidity by these Quidiots
Why don’t you cough up the money to build that airport, maintain it, and subsidize the flights from the huge jets that you hope will land on the island? Better yet, go ask the other Caribbean islands how they manage to subsidize those flights.
Peeping Tom you are wasting your breath. Niggeritis by definition blocks them from basic common sense.
state house and yet the poor lives in such delapidated houses,shame on this administration.
In my view the approach taken by Oliver Seraphine, Eugenia Charles, Edison James, Roosie Douglas and Pierre Charles to the accomodation of the ceremonial Head of State in Dominica from 1979 to 2004 was the correct one.
This attitude will only ensure that we will forever have a head of State who cannot welcome or entertain foreign dignitaries in a state facility but rather always at a private hotel. Think of it. With some objectivity you may just change your opinion.
Mamo thought that she had greater national priorities after Hurricane David. Even when the banana industry moved form crisis to recovery bringing in over $100 million dollars intothe economy (ask eddy), Mamo still belived that Dominica was not yet ready for a State House. Eddy wanted a State House, not for the national Head of State but for the Kalinago Chief. Can you imagine that? he waited for Taiwan to assist with building a state House for our Head of State and Prime Minister, but to no avail. Some day we had to bite the bullet and find the money for this very important facility. let us agree or argue the timing. But let us never say that is not necessary.
I think you forgot Patrick John, Degazon, Edward Leblanc…!
Man,give me Ian “Sugar George’edwards design instead wipal,acording to what i hear,the fouchetts in the cabinet,rattleing about that building and it’s cost.
Think beyond. If per chance, later Dominica experiences problem with paying it back or that the Chinese gives Dominica problem, my instinct informs me that if it is brought to the attention of the U.S. and other progressive democratic countries, Dominica will be helped. Those countries are not blind to what is occurring in the islands of all. They are keeping watch, be it in the background and silently. Pray for Dominica and the PM and quell your negativity. Why worry prematurely.