Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has indicated that significant strides have been taken in other components of the $27-million state house project which includes urban housing development.
The Prime Minister spoke on the subject to reporters as he and Cabinet members were given a tour of the state house facility, currently under construction, on Friday.
Skerrit pointed out that housing is becoming a serious challenge to persons in particular demographics in the Roseau area with mounting costs associated with rental properties and the Government’s intent to address those challenges in the near future.
“The other component has to do with housing. It’s a challenge for a number of families, as we’ve indicated, who live and work in Roseau, especially single mothers who have three, or four children, meager salaries and rent is becoming prohibitive. While we may not be able to completely address the housing challenges confronting the residents of Roseau, certainly it is a great start in the Government’s effort towards addressing it and it will no doubt compliment the housing revolution that the Government embarked on a few years ago. That component of the project will begin very soon,” promised Skerrit.
The Prime Minister stated the housing development has not started because a location has not yet been identified. “We are at fault in terms of the delay in commencement because we had not identified for the contractor the location. We were looking at several different locations. I think putting the housing in Bath Estate, on Government owned lands, would certainly allow us to implement the housing project more efficiently and more quickly. So, all the components have been falling in place quite nicely,” he stated.
At the completion of the project, all the temporary buildings used to accommodate workers will be removed by the contractor for the state house project, the Shanghai Construction Company.
Other components of the project includes the building of the state house and work on the Dominica State College.
Are we promising low cost housing to the people of Roseau and when they cannot pay, we evict them then offer the same house to other people at a higher cost as was done with the “one-dollar-a-square-foot” land? My family is from Roseau, mother, grand-mother, great-grand mother all Roseau born and have seen people come from outside of Roseau not living nor working in Roseau , receive housing, while we apply to successive governments for housing and not receiving not even a reply to our application(s)for low cost housing. Do we have to show support for a party in power to receive at least a reply? Let’s hope this is not the case this time.
Unless we Dominicans start to export there it is very hard for our economy to get ahead.How is a state house going to help our economy other than provide a few jobs in the short term.That money needs to be spent on a project which will help the economy in the long term.I suggest reviving the agriculture industry so we can export food to the rest of the caribbean and even some part of the U.S and Europe.Dominicans needs to demand job creation from their leaders and stop going to the red clinic for handout.
I think the skerrit Government has turn its back ob Agriculture in Dominica.Dominicans need to open their eye and advocate for more attention to Agriculture.
If the govt does not respond to their demand they should vote skerrit out. the govt needs to find market for agricultural product and Dominican needs to get back to their farms.
As an architect am going to voice my professional opinion in saying that projects of this magnitude are implemented not just for development but also to boost economic activity within ones economy. Apparently it’s only boosting china’s economy, the money of this project, which is a chinese loan, goes back to china through the contractor, consultants and the workers. then the loan is repaid by the Dominican tax payers. so are we going to gain any real income from the implementation of such a project? Why don’t the so called architectural society or engineers association comment on these matters? this is also part of their operations.
As an architect am going to voice my professional opinion in saying that projects of this magnitude are implemented not just for development but also to boost economic activity within ones economy. Apparently it’s only boosting china’s economy, the money of this project, which is a chinese loan, goes back to china through the contractor, consultants and the workers. then the loan is repaid by the Dominican tax payers. so are we going to gain any real income from the implementation of such a project?
Dominica is such a poor country for the govt to build a state palace, while the country so poor is ruthless to say the least, those leaders really hate their people.
YES UNI AM HAPPY TO HEAR U SAY WE COME FROM A CULTURE WHERE WE WORK FOR WHAT WE WANT MY THERE THIS IS NO MORE IN DOMINICA .THEY DONT WANT TO WORK HARD ,THEY JUST WANT THE GOV’T TO GIVE GIVE AND GIVE WHERE IN THE WORLD DID U GUYS HEAR THAT.GO AND WORK MAN CREATE UR OWN TING DO SOMETHING MAN AM SO TIRED OF SOME SICK COMMENTS ABOUT GOV’T DOH DOING A THING.
Skerrit means that the rest of Dominica should be at his beck and call, I will give you housing, I will give you $300 montly to pay your bills, I will give you books for the children, I will give you everything and anything that does not include a job.
The very same students that he pretends to be supporting when they’re at school, as soon as they are on the job market, they become enemy number 1. Simply because they are educated and can decipher sense from nonesense.
Roosevelt Skerrit, listen to me, I do not want your government house…I am a trained Dominica, better trained than you, I want a job where I can earn a decent living to be able to design my dream home just like you did. Then you turn around and offer me something that one of your rushed 2×4 in the most undesired neighborhood.
Roosevelt Skerrit, you need to let Dominica go. The mother’s on the meager salary will maybe still have to walk red clinic day and night to get a dollar to send one of those 3/4 kids that you are suggesting they have to school. They may walk red clinic for months and still end up with nothing.
Dominicans need their independence, as we go through this independence celebration, remember Roosevelt, Dominicans need their economic independence. We do not want our future tied to your likes and dislikes of us or our family. Which means that if you like our political tune we succeed if you don’t we’re damned.
Please Dominicans, open your eyes and see where this guy is leading this country to. You cannot want to provide everything for people who are determined to provide for themselves. This is serious…..wake up Dominicans, wake up.
stop bashing my pm i tell you!!!! we helping those that need help and allu blue vexxx!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent comment
This is Rhum Shop talk…sound like you drink rhum and cocunut water…not red bull.
Even in the Great USA and Europe they have these kinds of home. Why can’t the Govt build affordable homes if it is getting free money and these same low income people will have more disposable income.
When you have drunks roaming DNO, they talk vomit stuff…this sort of vomit usually comes from old rhum..like Mahaut Whiskey
So to say you need ecomomic independence is really stupid thing to say and will be only repeated by some uwp zombie.
wikileaks you sound so idiotic, did you understand anything you read> Or you one of those love and defending your handouts
Have you ever heard “give aman a fish you feed him for a day< teach a man how to fish you fed him for a lifetime"?
Maybe you are the one always drunk because you dont have nothing to do while you wait on your handouts from redclinic..
DNO I am waiting for my post…..
AM SORY FOR U GUYS ONLY NEGETIVITY IN THIS PLACE .PLEASE LETS NOT LOOK AT THE PIC AND WHATS IN IT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID IN THIS ARTICLE.DOMINICANS THINK SO SMALL .
State Place has nothing to do with URBAN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. WHAT A LIE
We should demolish the slum areas in Roseau Central, like Pound, and clear these sites and designate them for commercial purposes only if we are to bring new investments, create more businesses, like the Cancer Research Center, and create new jobs in Roseau Central. The Housing Developments should be concentrated on the outskirts and surroundings of Roseau Central, like, Goodwill, Pottersville, Newtown, Citronier, Castle Comfort, Wall House, The Valley, Kings Hill, Canefield, Giraudel, Eggleston, Fond Cole, Morne Prosper, Bath Estate, Emshall, Stock Farm, Loubiere, and so forth. We should continue to develop these areas for residential and recreational purposes only with limited businesses. This is my suggestion, and it’s a good one.
A individual with foresight.
Yes your suggestion is indeed a good one. This should have been done years ago. With proper planning it’s achievable.
i agree totally, but we also have to enable them because you can take a man out of the slum but u cannot take the slum out of the man….places in guadeloupe like mortenol are testament to that!!!! pure drug dealing and gang life in that place….we need to updgrade the people social livity as well… and allu saying DLP cannot work????
Executive Command, the good thing about us and caribbean people is that we do have alot of pride and class in us irrespective of whether we are poor or rich unlike black americans who were brought up differently from us. They live in the Ghettos and Projects and on Section 8; take them out of there and put them in the county areas, it becomes a war zone. They americans have no pride and class and respect.
I am in accord with this idea. Roseau could definitedly benefit from more office space, a new state of the art library, and sporting facilities for youth.
DCC yes!!! This sounds like a learned man!!! A Central Business District and housing in close proximity on the outskirts a very well planned modern day city setting, zones managed and governed by policy..elementary geography and economics..you should be putting your knowledge to better use.. Sigh oh how I wish we could be in accord like this every day… I’m glad to see we agree on at least one thing…
1979 LIVES, Thank you. I appreciate your good response. You know I am the “MACHO MAN” and has always been.
why does this project sound like an after thought?
so sxm girl dont u think that safety should come firs? a project of that magnitude safety hat steeltoe boots and all ppe should be first choice it is not an america thing sweetheart
It is a protection and safety guideline. Members of the government should know that, you don’t wait for something to happen and then to imply the law. Hard hats should be worn.
I guess it is OK for in Dominica those kind of things is ok. No one follows the rules.
Please address the salaries owed to workers at PUBLIC WORKS today the 10TH of October…..i never know people have to work 40 days before they can get their monthly salary…….is that new legislature???????????????????????????? MR LETANG FRAID THE ADMINISTRATION??? OR HE SERVING TWO MASTERS???????????????
Only in Dominica you see anyone on a construction site without hard hats. Where is OSHA when you need them?
I Disagree with you, In the Whole Caribbean Construction men DO NOT wear hats, Not only Dominica….that is an American thing, NOT a Caribbean thing….
It is a protection and safety guideline. Members of the government should know that, you don’t wait for something to happen and then to imply the law. Hard hats should be worn.
I guess it is OK for in Dominica those kind of things is ok. No one follows the rules.
Safety first regardless of who does and don’t. A man of his stature as PM should know better – set the example. We in DA have a long way to go before we can say we are ‘International’
When last did you hear that China is interested in the Occupational Health and Safety of workers. That the same way they treat their factory workers in China. No protection at all and Dominica seems to be telling them it is OK to do the same here.
So the workers have no control over their own health? Can they not buy a hardhat since they’re the ones in immediate danger?
I agree that regulators and the authorities should encourage safety practices that protect the citizenry, but we too must play our part and do what benefits our well being.
weh…..the man looking to create employment and allu talking about hard hat.. some of us head too hard. so we need something to fall on it to soften it….
Is that all you see in the report…Did you you not see the colour of the shirt, the dimples..I saw his lace untied…and some steels and a guy with a mic and one with a camera.
so they are wiki everything they see they want to bash…..UWP will give allu hard hat???? all how the man talk about development all dog barking like they see cyat passing on the wall…i paway for all who want to bash my PM.
but he need to protect himself for true we. all that aside. PM u need a hat!!
lol you watching man shirt and dimples. my padna you gay or somethign man?l lool
My friend you’re so out of touch. Don’t you know your O.S.H.A has no jurisdiction in any of the independent nations of the caribbean? However i agree with you and the others that at least a hard hat should have been worn.
I guess creating jobs is out of the equation. It is clear the msn sees himself as the saviour to all human problems. there seem to be no place in the man’s mind to think about a few Dominicans who have invested in their little real estate business. and those who is also contemplating going in that sector in the future… All his minsters have their mansion around roseau. so zafeh the other enrepreneurs in town. I guess for those of us so gullible… there is no time to ask the Man about creating jobs…not even the “journalist” have the fortitude…it is time Dominicans have to get out of the hole that they are all hopeless and stop the expression of pity coming from government especially skerrit… it is so sickening….
when will we get a government that will inspire optimism in our people. create a mode of creativity and ambition… create an environment of oportunity…
Lord Help my land
you bashing the PM my boy…..mind your speech
I give you Hector John
you dont know I cross the floor…I so want a 5000 this month….already the minister for Public Works finish coulay his department….Well am your backup singers now wiki…… what hell hard hats they talking about nuh????
Wiki me and you will fight in red clinic this month dere eh, let me do my share too….you alone want to bash UWP den????? DLP paying better than UWP so I cross. how we can be playing for same team now and you still grabbing the ball from me nuh???
I would like to believe that creating new housing requires a work force, so surely there will be jobs available.
The ministers with mansions did not build them themselves, they would have contracted builders/plumbers/electricians etc to do the work for them, so they obviously employed a work force.
Yes we need more jobs created, but why should it only be government creating these jobs. Self employment/private enterprise/foreign investments is surely the way forward. No government in this day and age can guarantee employment for everyone (look at what is happening all over the world re job cuts in the public sector).
allu have NDFD AND HOW MANY BANKS GIVING LOANS ???? SO WHAT ALLU CRYING FOR GOVERNMENT TO DO FOR ALLU AGAIN?????
@middleground
I can understand your passion. I read the story and just role my eyes. Here we go again, the only type of development they know is to give somebody something. No survey, no proper study just give even if we come from a culture that teaches us to work for what we want. First time I see an organisation with such lack of creativity and innovation. All Dominicans need is to live in an environment where they are provided with support to create their own employment and growth and to be independent. We need programmes that will stimulate economic activity and put those very same mother he laments about in a position to be able to afford their own houses. This is nothing new…
stop bashing my PM my boy!!!! let mothers get what they have to get NOW, because they already work for it!!!!….the ungrateful young people will have to pay their taxes to make sure that the less fortunate are sheltered….
are you saying that we are NOT INDEPENDENT??????? is that what you are insinuating????
so best we call off independence season man….. what you think admin????? call it off????