The Kalinago Territory and Pointe Michel will be receiving the first batch of new hurricane resistant homes under an agreement signed with a St. Lucian company, Housing Minister, Reginald Austrie has revealed.
He said that an agreement was signed with the company to build a thousand homes and the first 20 of these homes are ready to be shipped to Dominica.
“The location for those would be ten in Pointe Michel and ten in the Kalinago Territory,” he stated. “Obviously as we said earlier on these communities were heavily, heavily impacted and so we have to move to bring back some confidence to the community and to bring back some hope and some comfort to the residents of those communities.”
He stated that land has been identified for the homes and works are expected to begin soon.
“We are just awaiting the arrival of the containers and so and probably before Christmas, we may see work beginning…” he noted.
Austrie said the homes are hurricane-resistant and can withstand a category-5 hurricane.
“We believe they are pretty resistant and they can withstand the hurricane of Maria,” he remarked.
He said sites in Barbados where such homes were built were visited and “communities have been built, hospitals, supermarkets, restaurants, clinics have been built using that technology.”
“We are pretty satisfied based on the technical aspects and the literature on those home that they can withstand category-5 hurricanes,” Austrie said.
Next election allu will see. continue to give projects to foreign companies without tendering. allu build one bridge for $18 million. wicked souls.
ROT take a look at all the homes that withstood hurricane maria category 5. some of them had no hurricane ties and there was nothing special about them. they were built by Dominicans. There is no hurricane resistant home for category 5 hurricane, it all depend what the wind decides to do.
Can you not give your blessings and hope for the best? Do you always have to be negative about everything and to criticize it? None of us can see the future. Why not live and let live?
You talk about others who make the country so. What about you negative people which you are? The pot always calls the kettle black. When last you fervently prayed for Dominica, for any Dominican for that matter?
Some of you do nothing but excel in criticism. You could get a prize for that.
Dominica may be fortunate not to get another hurricane as what was experienced. Pray constantly to God for this possibility and do something good for your country. You will be helping your country and nationals including yourselves.
I love that.you hit the nail on d head
The PM cant convince me, Hon Austrie will not convince me, neither will any mountain of advisors – local or Bajan convince me that due process and commonsense have prevailed in awarding two contractors for the building of climate resilient houses in Dominica a mere 2 months after Maria. For Christ sake we are now seeking funding to do all the research required for this mammoth task. So how can we already begin implementation?. We are piloting a thousand house resiliency project with no input from the potential beneficiaries, instead, relying on literature and constructions in highly questionable locations – hmmmnnnnnnnn.
Maybe for once we should apply the logic of the carpenter ” measure twice and cut once”. The next test of all of this resiliency talk is sadly only six or so months away — let us not have to eat our words Mr. Austrie.
So with all them pardners that out of employement why not just bring the materials and pue fellas to work building them homes nuh,,,
Guess if there was a fully functioning Public Works Department with a Housing Division all that would be above Board and no One company or friends of the Elected Officials would be Unjustly Self Enriched,,,
U people will continue to be punished by the most high. Keep it up ungreatfull people. Nothing will never be good enough for U stiff neck people. The work of our HUMBLE and UNSELFISH PM will be rewarded by the most high. PM will be nominated for a Nobel Prize.
god can never please mankind… all you still not being grateful?????????????????? what on earth is you people problem??? god is still looking down on all of you ungrateful ………. one day all you will see. in everything give thanks says the lord god of host.. little is enough when the good lord is in it… viere kaltay moun sort ji zore yea…. ….. be careful because god is watching….
Sooks
would i be right in assuming you are St .Lucian ?.
you have to be, if you cannot see anything wrong here .
you quote ”in every thing give thanks” . Slaves were expected to give thanks when they were beaten , but, for not getting more blows.
If you are genuine about God , so wouldn’t lie, i’d like you to tell me when those GOVERNMENT contracts were tendered out .
I rest my case , not SKERRIT contracts .
That is another insult to our Dominican Architecture. Mr Austrie are you telling me there are no Dominicans with the necessary credentials capable of building shelters that can withstand Category five hurricane winds? Mr Austrie you all fellas must pack up and leave. You all are the cause why Dominica is in such a sad state. You all have squander enough of the states’ monies. Is it death traps you want to legalize?
Whilst I agree that local contractors should be engaged let me point out that a sub division of 36 homes in the heights of St. Joseph/Layou called Hillsborough Gardens built by local contractors. All but 3 of these homes lost their roofs. These homes were built about 3 years ago. So what do our local contractors have to say bout that
Zabocca
Local contractors should say”’ now we have the experience of what a category 3 hurricane is , lets sit together with some experience international firms ,share our knowledge and experience of Maria, and give us the Contracts to facilitate us getting it right and build much better this time around.
Where de hell you want them to go and build using the experience they have just witnessed ein , ? in another country ? would they be trusted to do a better job when their own Govt would not trust them ? sarkway tonnierre man .
i sure dem man learn somefing from Maria ; even if is that they cannot con Dominican people no more .
Austri you again. You should leave b uilding houses alone. Go do what you are good at.
Mr Minister what happened to the climate resilience housing design competition the PM promised? Lies and more Lies. You all are calling for more disasters on Dominica. Stop fooling Dominicans . The international community is watching
Reginald Austrie has the balls to tell Dominicans about houses that will withstand category five hurricanes?
For fifteen years Austrie was boasting about a Housing Revolution and in hours Maria decimated every PETRO CASA, every Chinese cardboard box, pit latrines stood up but his toilets disappeared and now, without Physical Planning approval he has signed a contract to build 1000 houses. Austrie knows that two persons died in his Petro Casa? Has he apologized to the relatives of the victims and other Dominicans who barely escaped from these rat trap houses?
Why is this government bent on importing houses when it has been proven by both the earthquake of 2004 and Maria in 2017, that Dominicans are quite capable of building seismic and hurricane resistant houses with the sand, stone and water God gave us, to which we only add cement and steel.
Reginald Austrie should be held accountable for the destruction of the houses he and his government gave and killed people. Justice demanded.
every day is allfools day in D/ca alredy we getting GO/AL ENERGE every year we gettin INT/AL airport without plan we have the best highway with the most conners in the world and we also has a new cruse ship berth and thats 15years so every ting cool, bcaues we a nice link road from Rosalie to the east so we g.ood.
Them people [politician ] are playing games with peoples life ,same thing happen in green valley pte Michel , they are not serious ,the houses they intent to build are not gonna stand a CAT 5 period we need concrete, bricks , mortar and the galvined should be screwed to the rafters not nailed in .
Sir, there is alot of doubt and uncertain in your voice regarding cat 5 storms. It should be tested at least by wind of cat3 and rain or water for flooding before shipping.
I see now that the poor Kalinago Territory is again being given …… houses prefab …. .
Well I think it’s time to empower these people .give the people materials and a good building code to follow and let people build their homes. Stop treating them like cage animals that you think they are incompetent to build . They were the first builders ,so those responsible , please make materials available so they can build good concrete buildings .
WHat Happen ?
You think people are not entitled to have an input in the Design of their Own homes. The system has made them poor but they are no ……
Two centuries ago the Kalinagos new better than we do today how to build climate resilient homes out of Dominica’s natural resources. Give them the funding and allow them to rediscover the skills of their forefathers.
I saw what was left of those Petro Casas in Bellvue and some other community I don’t recall where and man the government should be ashamed. very much ashamed. those things looked like they were made of plastic… the sides were strewn all over the place like cards. That is what you calling Penny wise and pound foolish.
The government cannot give everyone houses of high quality. At some point WE ALL need to learn to fight for ourselves.
That is true Nicole
The P M cannot give everyone suitable living houses , some will find favour for better gifts if they know how to lick… properly .
But please bear in mind the passports that are being sold are the property of the Government of Dominica,hence the funds that are acquired are also the property of the Government of Dominica .Gifts to the people of Dominica are not gifts to the PM to buy favour .
Why then do you try to justify that the people should accept rubbish (substandard accommodation) which will be a health and safety risk rather than be given the resources to fight for themselves, building what they will appreciate as theirs and thereby better treasure what they have built. You guys must stop being blindfolded . One gets a certain satisfaction from achieving the end product if one knows one did have an input in its construction .
they were actually made of plastic
God forbid a whole village were to be made to inhale the fumes of those burning plastic in the case of a fire .
how fire proof are those plastic houses , what are the chances of escaping these death traps people are being given in exchange for their political support .
Would the ministers feel comfortable living in those things themselves ?
One should never ever forget it has been proven the world is round , so what goes round, comes around and roles often change
Nobody knows whats around the corner .
Why are these contracts not done in partnership with our local construction companies?????
What is the plan to support the local contractors who were also affected by Maria to help re-build their financial capacity to operate/remain in business and keep employing the locals on island.
You have two contracts for housing restoration and they are given to St. Lucian and B/dos company….SMH.
This GOVT don’t have a clue about economic rebuilding and are unable to connect the DOTS!!!!
Mr. Minister, What is the name of the St. Lucian Company?
How much are the houses cost?
When was the last time a Hurricane or even a Tropical Depression past close to Barbados? Using an island which is outside the typical storm boundaries as an example is cynical.
Why not give the contract to our people back home? Create some jobs and help rebuild from within.
Is Mr. Austrie serious? Barbados is not a good measuring stick to gauge the resilience of homes to cat 5 hurricanes. Barbados is rarely affected by a cat 1 hurricane, so how that conclusion was drawn escapes me. The PM hinted at using the Miami building code in reconstructing homes, just as I thought, but I doubt any such process has occurred. By the way, if Mr. Austrie is referring to the new housing developments I have seen built in Barbados recently, I doubt these houses will withstand a cat 2.
Also, wasn’t there supposed to be 5 prototypes solicited from around the world? Has this process even started, much less to have chosen one?
Why can’t qualified Dominican contractors be used? We need to keep good contractors employed so they can employ locals, not just as laborers but as project managers, thus not having the top jobs go to foreigners. Locals will spend and keep all earnings locally, thereby magnifying the economic impact which is much needed.
“We believe they are pretty resistant and they can withstand the hurricane of Maria,” he remarked.”
We believe? Are you kidding me?
With all due respect Mr. Minister, when you specifying a product based on certain claims made by the manufacturer, there is no “we believe”. You need to require the manufacturer to submit test data to back up their claim. You don’t want to find out after the fact when Maria’s brother or sister visits you.
That’s the problem with all these ministers incl. Skerrit. They have not got any knowledge about the portfolios they’ve been given let alone how to run them efficiently. The entire lot is a waste of time that’s having a good time at the expense of Ma Dominique