Sixty-two families will benefit from a new housing initiative and the rehabilitation of the Petro Casas at Centre, Grand Bay as part of Government’s thrust to address the need for safe and resilient housing for families directly affected by the passage of Hurricane Maria.
Prime Minister and Minister for Housing, Roosevelt Skerrit said it is the beginning of a comprehensive project in which 200 residential units will eventually be built.
It is funded by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Lands.
“I give you the assurance that the 62 which we will be building is just the beginning of a very comprehensive housing project for the constituency of Grand Bay because as the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance we are committing to build 200 residential units for the constituency of Grand Bay, so we are just beginning,” Skerrit said while delivering remarks at the contract signing ceremony held at the Geneva Basketball Court on Friday.
He added, “We want to ensure that every family in Grandbay has a decent home to call his.”
Parliamentary representative for the Grand Bay Constituency Justina Charles said single mothers and people who must be relocated are among those who will benefit from the project.
“This project is geared towards addressing the housing needs of one, single mothers who in our assessment do not own a house neither do they own land,” she said.
According to Charles among that group is a minority who may have land or access to land but must be relocated.
“Those who owned a house but was impacted negatively by Hurricane Maria and for who remaining or building in this very site will be a risk, hence the need for relocation,” she stated.
She mentioned that some of these houses will be built in Centre, while the staff of the Ministry of Housing is working very closely with landowners in Grand Coulibrie at another site for construction of some of these houses.
Eleven contractors from the community signed contracts totaling some EC$16-million to facilitate the construction process.
Meanwhile, Skerrit said the contribution from Venezuela, which is in the grip of an economic crisis, should be praised.
“I want in a special way, in this regard, to thank President Nicolas Maduro and his government and the people of Venezuela, for their extraordinary commitment to our people,” he noted. “Because without them the funding for this project would not be possible. The government and people of Venezuela have committed this funds, notwithstanding their own economic challenges and that speaks to true friendship, it speaks to true solidarity and every one of us in Dominica must show eternal gratitude to the government and people of Venezuela.”
What exactly do u mean by ” the govt. Too easy on u guys”. Please explain
We are still waiting for the water and electricity to be connected . Primitive actions in modern times. Everything is upside down with the DLP government.
Hmm…haven’t been home lately eh.
Nothing good one does in Dominica will be appreciated but if the other islands were doing it and not Dominica, it would be something else. Do you know that Barbudans are still living in tents even though the Antiguan Government said that they have an economic powerhouse?
Do you know that there are thousands of homeless people in the USA and the UK , the very same countries you all run to and glorify? Do you know that Trump has done nothing for the Puerto Ricans post Irma and Maria?
Countries would kill to have a Government like what you guys have. I find that the Government here is too easy on you guys , Skerritt should be like Gaston Browne to make all you sucked salt. Ungrateful Nation as you guys are.
Someone explain to me how Venezuela is in deep **** and they can afford to fund Dr Punjab housing development
It’s because corruption has no limits !!
What is your rationale behind this statement ? Are you upset that Dominca was able to receive this project ? It seems that any aid Dominica gets creates a negative psychological impact on some people.
The rich 1% take the money the rest get to eat the crumbs from their table, if that. That’s how they helping Da
I hope Skerrit does not before those Petro Cassandra houses of his until after 2020, if he’s still in power because the 2018 hurricane season is loaded with names that are either Skerrit’s friends, associates family and business associates. When you check the list you will see potential storm names like, Tony, Chris, Isaac, Beryl, Helen and just in case they miss us 2019 has names like Melissa and Lorenzo, like the Francais Lorenzo we saw in the Macau saga involving John Ashe and NG Lap Send. So our future looks very scary with hurricane Skerrit and associates. Here is the list of names if all you
think I joking. https://www.statesman.com/news/local/hurricane-names-for-2018-are-out-are-you-the-list/N1801bZ6nADS1m827HiSOM/
This thing lives a lot of questions unanswered and to me, it sounds like a cover up and a repeat of the $18 million dollar bridge. Since according to Skerrit “Eleven contractors from the community signed contracts totaling some EC$16-million to facilitate the construction process, here are some of my questions:
1. Mr. PM, are all of the contractors licensed before Maria and are qualified to under take such project?
2. PM, since Maria you have been preaching strong buildings that are storm resilient; Am I to assume that all of the contractors participated in course on resilient building?
3. Were these contracts made available to the public along with the qualifications needed and as a result only these 11 were qualified?
4. Sir, when did Venezuela make these monies available to Dominica and how much?
5. You sure that is not your way of saying the $100 million US dollars Venezuela forgave Dominica for is now being used?
6. Are these 11 contractors expected to build the house or…
PM was not clear at all about what these 11 contractors will be paid a total of $16 million dollars for. According to him, the $16 million dollars is to “facilitate the construction process”. That’s kind of vague because to facilitate construction process could mean to clear the site or to physically erect the building. The PM should just make it plain and simple and say if it is for preparing the site or for building the actual house. Talking about facilitate the construction process is very deceptive. Gason you give me $16 million dollars to build houses in the country area you will get over 300 houses for sure and I will supply the materials as well. This is just pure deception and corruption. 62 houses eleven contractors would mean each contractor would build about 5 and a half house and each contractor gets over $1.2 million dollars but we don’t know if it is to clear site or build the house and if that include materials. Just corruption in one damn envelope
Where is all that money the government got after Maria. Is that the climate resilience country they want to full us with by rehabilitating Petro Casa houses. Mr them not easy here. We are so not use to much good things that once they full us with a little something they’ve gotten our votes. I am a labour supporter all my life and i am ready to switch. I am not seeing Dominica going nowhere for the past 17 years.
How long will Roosevelt Skerrit continue to insult the people of Dominica? It was after Erika in 2015, the Petro Casas aka PVC houses were introduced to Dominica. Some were built in the Grandbay constituency and a few on the west coast between Colihault and Coulibistrie. Almost every single one of them was destroyed by Maria, less than 2 years later and many blame the death of two Dominicans to those plastic houses. So that means they failed the test and I cannot understand why Skerrit keeps talking about building safe and resilient houses with houses that are unsafe. My other question is, why does government have to build houses for people? If they are serious why don’t they provide materials and allow the people to build their house in their style instead of government getting their own contractors to build? My granpa built a straw house in his garden since 1997, and you know it is still going strong. we call them joopar. Now how could 62 houses cost EC$16-million dollars for labor?
D/ca can’t afford to build homes for everybody, why not create the environment, so people can build their own home???
after you all build defective petro casa houses that caused the death of 2 people during hurricane maria you all want to go and rehab those death traps? those houses need to be torn down and something substantial built in there place
Concur these houses are not safe, why not build brick or use the abundance of rocks/stones from the bay side and construct buildings that can withstand the storms that are getting more severe with climate change. More will perish if that nonsense continues. Lord help us.