Nine families have entered their new homes in San Sauveur.
Hon Johnson Drigo, Parliamentary Representative for the area took GIS News to the new housing settlement on Thursday, February 25th, 2016.
A landslide in San Sauveur claimed the lives of three residents in 2010 and since then Hon Drigo’s objective turned to providing safer housing for residents in conditions deemed unstable, more so after Tropical Storm Erika.
“I am happy to report that nine families who were affected by the disaster are in their houses today and they are extremely happy. I am also happy because this is one of the projects on which I was involved from inception and I am happy with it- its completion and the quality of work,” he told GIS News. “The contractors employed quite a number of young people who were being trained on the job This project was very significant for the people of the San Sauveur, Petite Soufriere, Good Hope area.”
There is a tenth family to move in after work on their new home is finished.
But those who are already settled say they can certainly sleep better at nights.
Moses Nicholls, who was affected by the disasters, says, “I feel a lot better now that I can sleep. I could hardly sleep. During the day I was frightened and night time I couldn’t sleep; I used to out of the house so many times at night during bad weather. I must say praise God and Mr Drigo for their good works. I pray that God would help and protect [Government] so it could continue doing what they can for the people of Dominica.”
This young man lost three members of his family in the 2010 disaster. He and his brother will live in this new home and he is extremely grateful.
“My mother, my brother and son perished in the landslide in San Sauveur and Government decided to put us in a safe place. Johnson Drigo worked hard and he always told me to be patient. Now I’m just telling him to keep doing good,” Baptiste Stoute, another affected person, says.
The only requirement from these new home owners is to keep their environment clean and establish backyard gardens.
Martina Warrington and many of the other residents have already begun doing just that.
“I am very happy to be here and I am very comfortable. Thanks to Government and Mr Drigo. Praise God for everything,” Warrington said.
Edith Coipel added, “I was under rent for three years and nine months…and it was very hard for me. Anyway, I did it with the help of God. He helped me. Now I am comfortable and I am home. God bless our Government and all those who provided.”
Each structure costs approximately $110,000.
The San Sauveur Housing Relocation Project commenced in October 2014 and was completed in April 2015.
The project was a gift from the Government of China.
thank you to the government of Dominica and to thethan these homes are greatly needed and very much appreciated however this article states that they are completed we have lived here close to 6 months and the place is not finished we have been without water since we moved in they laid the pipe up the hill when they made the road but from the road to the water source nothing and pipes to the houses nothing we still don’t have water there are two elderly people over the age of 80 but must carry water from the standpipe to the home the road is not finished it’s covered in mud so we live in mud please help us we have been through enough I and my family have waited almost 6 years to begin again enough is enough please help us and the families at the at the San sauveur relocation project enough we are in dire need of water
This is Dominica. RAIN, RAIN, RAIN Tell me are these houses built on a slope. Are we expecting a slipery slide down the slope in twenty years. II DO NOT THINK A LESSON WAS LEARNED.
Shelter in place cause your roof is Red. No Blue roofs?
Since the PM claimed that he built 500 plus in
28 days, where are the rest of the houses?
Where are the rest of the displaced families?
What have you done lately to help
Why are the houses so low on the ground?
Empty vessels make the most noise
The only question I have is why are the homes so low to the ground.
lol how high you would put them???
As colorful as they are, there is no way they would not be found in the event of …………..
Grt work Mr Drigo
Pleased to know that some of you now have a comfortable home. There is nothing better than having one.
Thank you to the government of Dominica and the Republic of China that you can now live in comfort and peace..
A thankful heart has a continuous feast. Your appreciation and gratitude are evident.
Enjoy your new home and its surroundings. We know you are proud of it and will take good care of it.
God is so good. He sends help through others. He guides them to assist those in need.
God protect you and bless you as you give him due thanks, praise and honor for this great help..
DNO could we see some photos of inside the houses too ?
tats very good … from the DOMINICA LABOUR PARTY … LABOUR POWER … POWER LABOUR
GREAT news. I am very happy for the families. Good work, facilitators! Keep up the momentum. There are many others who need homes.
Wah wah all roof in red look rubbish
Go paint it in your color nuh,they will be sheltered, in spite of any color they doh care the color of the roof all they are doing is giving praises.
This is only for advice: based on the pic this area needs landscape with good grass cover for erosion control. If it is not covered by rainy season we asking for trouble. The place will slowly erode. It is on a slope and this is rainy Dominica. Something to consider.
I thought the same, but this pic is a year old so maybe its already done.
2010 2016
ooops
smart move .
each structure cost $110 000
Looks like the one thing this government is fairly(not very) good at is crisis management. I’m happy for the families who were resettled.This government lacks vision,and the ability to do long range strategic planning for sustainable development of the country. Take for example spending all those millions of dollars on the Melville Hall Airport, just to have TS Erica cause so much havoc to it.Now that el Supremo has his honorary doctorate, let’s see if he do any better than the past 15 years.I doubt it because he is still shallow between the ears
Okay!
I guess that’s because this government is made up of mere human beings like those in all other countries including the USA, Great Britain, Japan, China etc. who spend billions of dollars on infrastructure just to have psunamis; floods; winter storms; wild fires, droughts, earthquakes, volcanoes come in and ravage their work of several years in a few hours.
I think we really should change this government for one with supernatural powers which guarantees that the rivers will remain within their courses and the storms will pass by without touching us and landslides will be a thing of the past etc. What do you think Mr. St. Jean?