Minister for Housing, Land and Water Resource Management, Reginald Austrie, has stated that over $10-million has been spent so far by the government to eradicate pit latrines in Dominica.
The government of Dominica has promised to eliminate the use of pit latrines on the island by the end of 2017.
Speaking recently Austrie said that 983 individuals are already benefiting from the initiative.
“The government has spent some $10.4-million for the eradication of pit latrines and a total of 983 families have benefited from this program and our goal is to ensure that we can eradicate pit latrines in this country by the end of this year 2017,” he said.
Austrie indicated that in the next seven months, the government will be spending close to $100-million dollars to fully install 6, 800 or more washroom facilities.
“Now if the figure is 6,800 and climbing, and we’ve done about 1,000 for $10-million, then you can do the math and tell me how much money this government has to find for the next six or seven months to eradicate pit latrines totally and completely from this country,” he said.
According to him, a 2011 census revealed that over 4,200 families were living without a proper washroom facility, and over 2,000 had nothing at all; a revelation that prompted the government to intervene.
“My math tells me that when you at the 4,262 pit latrines, with the 2,256 with no latrines, the total figure add up to 6,518 families in this country up to 2011 that had no modern flushing toilets in their homes or in their residence,” Austrie remarked.
Allu talking bout the wrong things, man. Allu to distracted. The real issue is: where all this money coming from all of a sudden?
So I read an article yesterday where one of the idiot government bureaucrats complained about constraints faced by the coconut industry and the inability to meet market demands for this product in time. We spent $10 million dollars on pit latrines, instead of investing in manufacturing or other investment and job creating avenues for all Dominicans, not just a few “Reds” all over the place.
Bunch of WASTE OF MONEY. So you men to tell me that you have to spend million of dollars to get rid of a pit toilet? What is wrong with BREAKING IT DOWN/BURNING IT? Dominicans! raise up against Skerrit. Let us FORCE HIM OUT OF OFFICE by any means necessary.
Good news but really if this government was REALLY working to create jobs then the numbers from that 2011 survey would have been much less.
Instead they’re busy building toilets!!! A record number of them at that. Never before in our history have we had such a powerful toilet handout economy. Keep building on them Dr skeritt because you and your supporters are full of sh..
That’s what my people do best talk bad about their country
We are in 2017 and some people are still using pit latrines. Imagine having to go outside day and night to use that facility. We should wonder how did even our ancestors and other nationals of those days coped with that.
Imagine having visitors from abroad of all who would have no alternative but to use it.
It is either to keep those unhealthy pit latrines or spend the money to eliminate them and install healthy toilets.
The government is doing what is possible and necessary for those who do not have this healthy convenience and cannot afford to install one.
Good job DLP government!
They still use pit latrines in Alaska, so why not Dominica? What is wrong with pit latrine in 2017? noffing! Allu too up.
That is Alaska That place is frigid; way below zero climate. The natives live in igloos. Try building a toilet in them.
Do you know the temperature of Alaska especially in winter? It is difficult to build anything there, even though some buildings have been constructed.
Furthermore, Alaskans are pleased with what they have. Similar to most Canadian/American Indians.
You must know the history of these people, their primitive ways, lack of progress and assimilation in society. They are not people who love change. They are happy doing what they do; happy living as they do and fishing for Seals as their meals. They eat them raw.
I would not use them as an example, in comparison to D/ca, a small tropical country. Furthermore, how many tourists visit Alaska and throughout the year? Alaska’s weather never gets hot by our standard of heat.
Dominica’s pit latrines are exposed for visitors to see. The change to a healthy toilet in their home is a welcome one.
Mr. Austrie, while you all at it replacing the pit latrines in the countryside where you won the election please move the rejected pit latrines to Roseau the capital. Lagoon could do with all the rejected so people can stop using tensils and paper bags in this modern day and age.
You are spending an average of about $10,500.00 to assist people with poopooing accommodations while they can’t even pay their water bills. How dumb can that be. All that money could have been spent to build, furnish and staff a cancer treatment center in Dca to help save lives, create employment and generate revenue from regional folks seeking treatment. I have just given you an idea so take it and run because cancer is destroying our people. DLP needs help and fast. And remember you got the idea from DNO
Assertive like the rod of Moses!
What de hell!
7000 households without a regular toilet in 2017 under DLP?
After 17 years in office praise austrie for toilet!
What a glorious record!
Since you are counting, under UWP James and prior to him, how many pit latrines were there? Any other government tried to eliminate them?
I wonder how much money was spent in education and health. I am not against development but alas $10 million? Total waste of money. I know of persons who are well able and they get toilets. Yet our schools have poor lighting and no fans to cool down. I tell you Dominica has money but this bad management of our resources are just paving way for days of gloom and misery. Just look at Venezuela.
Is this an accomplishment Austrie? For someone who hears this announcement and does not know the facts it will be easy for them to say well done to Skerrit and his corrupt team. However for people like me that know better there is no other way to describe it other than well calculated corruption to the max! First, Skerrit has his dlp crew in every village to tell him who need toilets. 2. Skerrit as minister of finance works it out at an average of $14,000 per toilet (the real cost is no more than $5000 if individuals had to take a loan to do it) off course housing or planning NOT involved 3. Skerrit sends the money to the village council along with the list and his chosen contractors 4. Imagine if they are building a toilet for a young, vibrant and healthy young man, he is paid a minimum of $200 to dig the hole. Freedomites or UWPites are NOT contractors. 5. In some cases where owner is oversees and the house is being rented, they still get toilet if they are laborites.
That to ME is a crime that deserves to be investigated. How does a government in a democracy take 10 million dollars and use it as they wish in the name of eliminating pit toilet? If it were their money is that how they would spend it? I mean if they are admitting that they killed the country to the point that people can’t afford a toilet then why not give it to them at a very low interest rate? There is a lot of corruption in this this toilet thing and somebody should be held responsible for state money
It was spent in selective villages…..so please refrain from saying 10 Million dollars was spent in Dominica — you should be more specific — there are some villages who have not receive not even 1 cent….guess they are not part of Dominica…right??
10 million should be invested to make 20 million and have people working and affor4d their own damn toilets. This dictatorship modus operandi is sickening
The government have recognized that people without proper sanitation are highly susceptible to infections and diarrhoeal illnesses and have taken upon themselves to put in place a proper system to alleviate the people from such terrible conditions. Why should we cry down their work?
Shana, a lot that is down to poor hygiene. First of all I hope that the new toilets use water to flush them ubt even more that they have a tap installed so peple can be trained and educated to wash their hands with sopa and water. Replacing a pit latrine alone is not enough.
why should i depend on a government to give me toilet when i can work to buy a toilet, stove, bed etc, but since his not making work available why not be santa and give my poor people who cant afford water, toilet paper etc… cant believe dominicans so stupid…
This is a good initiative! Continue this until all pits are condemned and all families can have proper washroom facilities in their homes. Open defecation, the use of buckets or pit latrines guarantees fecal contamination of the environment. So I must commend the government on its efforts in this drive!
Sit down on allyou backside and when you finish ask the government to wipe it. Which other country provide like that only in poor little Dominica.Sit down wait to be fed,housed, bathed,etc bravo.
Hush. I work and I get an ok salary but with daughter. At college and other debts it’s taking longer to organize my home properly. So what happen if I get a little assistance. You maybe all Get your share already undercover.
Allu too sot. Keep allu pit latrine and eliminate DEBT!
but dum dum so de government put allu…
Let the pm and his gov know that we the people of Dominica have done more for him his family and good friends for putting them there so stop telling us what they doing and do the work for the people why don’t they tell us the people of Dominica how much they have in there BANKS all over the world is not all of us that a DOM-IN-CANS time will tell
The saying: “Darned if I do. Darned if I don’t.” If the government did not keep you informed, you would be shouting for transparency and ask, “How much it cost?” Some of you cannot be pleased; never will be pleased.
So why the place still looking and selling like sh, specially Roseau? You know in our capital with the new bridge it still have peole living without touil;ts and using pail!
Soon, in time, this too will be eliminated. Patience!
When the burden falls on the government to eliminate pit latrines, these are areas where nationals cannot afford to install proper toilets. Everything takes time.
So when will we get a government that produces the climate for a more robust economy which will in turn allow people to have enough money in their pockets to do these things for themselves? In most other Caribbean countries (with the exception of Haiti) citizens are able to do these small projects on their own.