Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Melissa Poponne-Skerrit has announced that, to date, a total of 172 beneficiaries have received their land ownership documentation as a result of the government’s Housing Recovery Project (HRP).
She made the announcement during a handing-over ceremony held at the State House Conference Centre on Thursday where 60 families received keys to their new homes.
“Based on these construction figures we are at 83 percent of our target,” she revealed. “Also, to date, 172 beneficiaries have received their land ownership documentation as a result of this project.”
She said for families who have endured years of uncertainty and hardship, the opportunity to own their land and house is a lifelong dream that signifies a permanent investment in these families’ futures.
These families’ homes were destroyed during the passage of Hurricane Maria which devastated the country in 2017.
“So I ask this question: In situations like this, what do you say to a single mother trying to make ends meet after her home was destroyed? Or a retired farmer who cannot physically work anymore? Do you send them as a government to the bank knowing that they are going to be turned down?” Poponne-Skerrit asked.
Furthermore, she revealed that 285 homes have been completed under this program thus far, “and as we speak 67 homes are currently under construction under the HRP and 27 are at advanced stages for delivery in the coming months.”
She added, “So, this project goes beyond rebuilding homes, it’s rebuilding lives.”
Poponne-Skerrit pointed out that Hurricane Maria’s impact on the Kalinago Territory and the north-eastern region is also of major concern, and these areas have seen investments in the Housing Recovery Project with 90 homes already handed over in the Kalinago Territory alone.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr. Irving McIntyre who represented Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said this ceremony reaffirms the government’s steadfast commitment to the people of Dominica and its promise to build a resilient nation where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.
“Standing here, I am filled with immense pride as we celebrate yet another significant milestone in our journey towards providing modern and resilient housing for our people,” he said.
Dr. McIntyre continued, “Today we hand over the keys to dignity, security, and opportunity, and what a fitting time to do so, days before Christmas you are being handed the keys to a new life for yourselves and for your families.”
He indicated that a home is more than a structure of walls and a roof. It’s a sanctuary where families come together, children grow and dreams take shape.
“Housing is a fundamental human need and providing it to our people is an essential part of our mission to foster social and economic development across Dominica,” he stated. “This handover of homes to 60 deserving families marks another achievement in our comprehensive housing program which has spanned many years.”
Dr. McIntyre said the government’s housing revolution has strengthened communities, empowered families, “and contributed to our broader vision of sustainable development across Dominica.”
An idiot is a person of low intelligence: nevertheless, some people are so stupid, they allow themselves, to be used as a conduit to spew the garbage the authors, who writes their speech will not speak. If I was asked to define the term “housing recovery program;” I would simply say it means the providing stable transitional housing for someone, or individuals in in recovery of substance use, or substance abuse disorder! Whereas in Dominica, in Wesley, as a matter of fact, where you Melissa, and Roosevelt, have confiscated peoples’ property and hand them to Chinese, without getting paid for their property, even the token who may; or may not be a recipient can’t be considered a substance abuser, in transition, as I suspect you have insinuated.
You are an uneducated dunce Melissa, revelling in ill gain wealth; that soon bite getting old yellow behind, the evil you and Roosevelt brought on Dominica, will haunt you and even those you birth in America. Birth rights to be abolish!
This is a money laundering scheme. You all dont even know how many people in Dominica, but all you just building housing. Worse again, all you picking and choosing who vote labor and who not seen to vote labor to put in those sub par housing set ups. nonsense all you doing.
Duck,the Dominican people kicked UWP out of office in less than 5 years because of CORRUPTION,so the Dominicans know corruption.So stop your BS about corruption.You are like a parrot repeating what you hear people say.You talking about Melissa education,but you wanted Lennox Linton to be Prime Minister of Dominica without a single GCE or CXC,shameless hypocrite.
they kicked DLP out of office in less when it was Patrick John. You acting like as is the UWP of today is the same as then. Is the DLP of today the same as when Patrick John was there? you IDIOT!!!
when all u finish with Dominica….Dominica will b well cripple….broken neck, broken feet , broken all ribbs….well dead….and another government will not be able to recover Dominica…..this is the worst I have seen in over 50 years.. take hid.. Syria….bull set…
Can someone provide me with any kind of educational achievement for this Melissa? In no other country in the Caribbean would this unqualified, semi will iterate lady become a minister of government. Think about it.
Housing minister? All this lady does is to show her powdered face and flash her designer clothes and jewelry at ceremonies.
She is incapable of debating or contributing to any serious discussions in regional and international forums. She cannot talk off the cuff and must be handed a prepared script.
Ownership of a house is a goal and a dream of most Dominicans. Giving people keys to government apartments without ownership is providing them with temporary residence. They can be evicted at any time.
Government should provide the incentives and create the economic conditions for hard working Dominicans to own their homes.
If you sign a contract with government to get a $400,000 house FREE to live in untill you die,what you doing with certificate of title.The house is registered in your name.UWP never give people free house,now they telling people demonstrate for certificate of title.One thing I know UWP candidates cannot go to the houses Skerrit build to campaign.Mike Wallace tried it in Bathestate,they almost burn him with hot water.The man going to the houses Skerrit built to campaign against Skerrit and when they hammer him he say he suing.Thompson Fontaine cannot go in those houses doing door to door,and that is where the votes are over 6,000 and the NEP over 5,000,also the 2,700 receiving $300 monthly.UWP cannot touch DAT.
UWP did a housing scheme in Bath Estate that the people had to pay for. Today everybody there have their house and land title. Most of them were even able to take a loan and extend on the structures or build a floor up. I prefer go through what UWP did. You know why? because i will feel better know i worked hard for my home and i can pass it down to my children. And no government can come and say ok time to move out unless they paying me the value of MY property. NEP is a huge strain on the national treasury. that is why they cannot fix roseau and all other public roads. UWP doesnt want to touch the madness you talking about. and for good reason too. Go up to bellevue and talk to those people in the apartments. None of those buildings have insurance. plumbing is an absolute mess. and i could go on. But is labor all you love. nonsense!
What i doing with a certificate of title? are you serious? What happens when my neighbor encroaches on the property? Or i need to take a loan? Or i need to upgrade the property? What happens when someone else says government told them they have to live in MY house and they decide they moving in? you idiot! and is people that thinking like you that is the majority in Dominica. No wonder the place is in shambles.
You are a fool!
If someone gives you a bit of land or anything over a certain value, a bill of sale must go along with it. There was an era in Dominica, if you operated a small rum-shop with two bottles of rum behind your counter, you’d better have your receipt of purchase in the event the police wanted to know where you got it. In the event one was in a situation where they couldn’t present a receipt, the police would arrest the shopkeeper accuse, and charge them with smuggling!
Hence, it was a custom when one entered a shop you would see where the keeper had a long piece of wire, hanging on which they stacked their receipts, and kept them for as long as five years. Whereas, government Roosevelt refused to give a Bill of Sale; Title Deeds, or Deeds of trust to the recipient, is all due to some ulterior motive. It is because all the so called give away will eventually go to his American born children. As for you that dirty rat, all you’ll get is defense corruption and thievery!
We can bathe corruption, dress corruption, perfume corruption, polish corruption and even try to hide it and like the Devil, present it as an angel of light; but at the end of the day it’s corruption and no country can be built or developed when its corner stone is built on corrupt. Just as Jesus says the thief came to steal, kill and destroy so too corruption will steal, will kill and will destroy
Mel can read government propaganda statements. Good progress Mel!
I have requested that the police investigate this woman. Fort human rights issues and harassment.
I am trying to find individuals who are interested in filing a case in the Human Rights court against her and other members of this government.
I am still a political science student and requested assistance from countries int he developed world. This country is engaging in things that they should not be engaging in.
Dominica was reviewed without a report on file.
What I write may look like other worldly, but it is true. These people are in nothing other than harming people and innocent victims.
Talking on people literally. I was trying to bring this to the people’s attention. Say something. You have my support be bold and honest about it. I am.
There are concessions being made for me way back in the US that affords me to support you all. I am interested in HUMAN RIGHTS. Dominica has a major issue it is not a game.
Real world experience. I am reporting…
Instead of building houses for the PEOPLE with the hundreds of millions they collected selling passports under their Reengineered Citizenship Programme,they STEAL de money.And wen they finish they want de people to vote Dem,nevva.