The government on Wednesday signed a $2.3-million contract, through the Caribbean Development Bank, for the construction of an emergency shelter/resource center in Layou.
Member of Parliament for St. Joseph, Kelver Darroux stated that the idea of the facility, which is said to be the first of its kind in Dominica, has been on the books for some time and was conceptualized after the collapse of the Matthieu Dam in 2011.
“This project to the tune of $2.34-million is indicative of the Governmnent of Dominica’s vision to construct climate resilient infrastructure post-Hurricane Maria,” he stated. “Very importantly, for those of you who may not know, this project has been on the cards for a number of years and finally we have seen the realization of this project. This project came about after the collapse of the Matthieu Dam in Layou in 2011 and at that stage the Government of Dominica secured a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank to ensure that we could have provided not just a shelter but also a community center for the community of Layou which was adversely impacted after the collapse of that dam.”
He stated that at present there is no disaster shelter or resource center in Layou and he thinks the project will have an impact on the community.
“I believe that this project will have significant benefits towards residents of that community in the initial stages providing employment during the construction, and the contractor is there, and I am sure he will engage a number of the skilled people in the community of Layou on that project,” Darroux said. “I am saying that publicly so that the contractor will employ as many persons in the community, as well as when completed provide opportunity for hosting training and skill development sessions so as to advance the development of skills in that community.”
He said the land for the construction of the facility has already been purchased by the government.
“The land is located in the Old Layou Housing Scheme right next to where Glenda has her bar for those of you who know Glenda’s Bar on the highway,” Darroux said. “So it is indeed a safe location away from the Layou river and it will allow the residents to be secured in the event that we have a hurricane and any other disaster, where they can feel at peace during that time.”
The contract was awarded to Roycee Real Estate Construction Limited.
The picture states the roseau valley. The caption is about layou.
Not only Jerusalem is the capital Of Israel but God said I will make Jerusalem the capital of the world . Trump did not make it the capital,it is and the president said our embassy will be placed there,that is it.At what time in history our president must take orders from the U.N?
It’s no accident The U.S. is the most powerful nation on earth military and economically,and do you know why?…..I will bless those who stand with Israel and curse those who stand against Israel says the Lord.
Lord forgive our PM poor fellow.
Who are Roycee Construction? Never heard of them and can’t trace them. Are they a known quantity with a proven record? Hope we are allowedtoaskthis question?
Man, searched the internet and not one entree for this so called construction company. Are they serious?
Again one of the boys. Some things don’t change in Dominica.
Community shelters are one way forward, but as it is human nature to cling to our home and possessions,I would like to suggest another. That is, each individual home is built with a secure space that can shelter a family and their valuables in a hurricane.
This then opens up the possibility of designing homes for tropical living. In all my years of living in the tropics I have avoided spending my days and nights within four sweltering walls, but on a veranda with the trade wind and the stars for company.
Just because you selling building materials and you from villecase you is a contractor? everything in one hole. who really owns these new companies?
mister is a contractor nuh?
I’m so confused , awredy it dow taking much to confuse me .
please x plain me dat , loan secured in 2011,construction in end 2017 ; 6 years repayment on loan , where was dat money all de time ? in a high interest deposit account ?would it be right to assume , the interest added on making it 3.3 million? So is the interest added on going back into de repayment loan ? or if de government was paying de loan , who de interest going to now then ? is it being added to the actual cost of the shelter ?
some body making an … of u and me , thats why i ass-u-ming corruption involve somewhere , somehow ; or is it only now they find a constructor suitable to build that shelter after tendering the offer .
Maysyiay look daybar .
Well, apparently he is now, by government approval no less.
School me, please. Why was a loan procured when the GOV sells so many CBI passports? Where is the money from passport sales being filtered to? Allu too wicked in this place man!
I have been talking to friends about that concept for years now. We are in the middle of the hurricane belt, yet we do not have proper hurricane shelters. The government uses large building as hurricane shelters because they can house many people. The problem with that approach is that these building were not constructed to withstand any serious hurricane.
Every village and town in Dominica should have properly constructed (real) hurricane shelters. Places where people can be safe, with emergency water and food supplies, flashlights, generators, chain saws, cots etc.
We are going to be bit by another serve hurricane, so we need to prepare for those.
Since schools were destroyed, doesn’t it make sense to rebuild schools strong enough to be used as hurricane shelters. at this time there should be enough relief funds to accomplish that and not have to take loans or did they squander that too? The his i ridiculous
Once you use schools as hurricane shelters, they’re no longer available for the purpose they were built, to educate our young people! I bet in all the best part of a year will be lost for quite a number of children that are educated in the public sector. We must rethink this approach.