Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has said that Government will move swiftly, ensuring that there is work day and night to resettle those displaced by the fire in Silver Lake which occurred Monday night.
During a visit to the site on Tuesday, he said six apartments are under construction and instructions were given to resume as early as Wednesday morning.
“A second set of apartments, a contract will be issued tomorrow (Wednesday) to a contractor to commence where the fire occurred where this long house was – another set of apartments will be constructed and we are hoping the contractor can be mobilized as early as Thursday this week to commence construction,” he said. “We have been able to send heavy equipment on site …. it is currently on site doing some clearing so that we can minimize hazards that are present there in the first instance. Secondly, to prepare for the construction of the second set, third set of apartments in Silver Lake.”
The Prime Minister said that 20 families were affected by the blaze and clothing, food stuff, all necessary supplies and $1,000 will be provided to the victims.
“Following this $1,000, the families will be provided weekly or fortnightly or monthly, and that will be determined, an income support allowance similar to what we provided the residents of Petite Savanne following T.S. Erika but the whole idea with the apartments is to have them constructed in record time so that we can minimize the dislocation of those families and resettle them with great speed,” Skerrit said.
Skerrit made it clear that the contractors should work night and day to make sure the appartments are built for the fire victims.
“We have to work…when it comes to 4 o’clock we have to continue working so that construction can be hastened and we can have some resettlement,” he said.
In this century this is the kind of living conditions humans are reduced to. Even domestic aninlas are better housed.the labour administration ought to be ashame of themselves. Where is the minister of housing. Just look at where humans are living my god.please dont show this to the outside World. Am on the verge of vomiting.
The reason why this had gone to that condition, its because Silver Lake {or Fly City as it used to be called} consists of all kind of radical,criminal elements. It was after Hurricane David, these people decided to erect shacks in the area, these shacks were built without Govt’s approval, so on a regular basis the police would have gone to the area to investigate crimes such as robberies , burglaries and other criminal activities, so a reasonable thinking person would not even think of going there to live .
I’m sorry for all those people who lost all their lively hood in one night fire, there are persons who grew up there from birth, as that’s where they knew as their birth place. One has to get informed how people came living in that area
Laplaine, these houses were there before I was born and I am over 40. We have people in America living ìn worst conditions. There are many living quarters like those around the world. Everyone is not privileged to have homes that you think is fit to show the world. Nonetheless this is where the victims called home, where they made memories, where they stored their worldly possession some of which have sentimentalvalues. Now get off your high horse and before you criticicise do what little you can do as an individual to improve the very living conditions that disgust you. Start with your own village.
Fire took place on Monday night at 9:50 PM and Skerrit already working on giving contract for work to commence in that same fire area by Thursday, tomorrow? Folks, I am from V/ Case myself, a fellow Laborite and attended elementary and high school together with Mr. Skerrit. But I must admit that he has me baffled because in the village of Thibaud which is part of his constituency, the late premiere E.O Leblanc, who he described as his mentor, built a school in Thibaud in 1972, which Skerrit demolished within his first term as PM and promised to build a better school. But the amazing thing is, though the school was built on rock and stood up to David and all of storms and yet, a week before Christmas Skerrit had six NEP workers digging 6 ft deep holes to test (political gimmick) the same ground that housed the previous school, and now two days after a massive fire he ready to issue contract?
You are surely not the only one raising their eyebrows. we have planning regulations , building codes and I suppose zoning codes also for very good reasons. the Prime Minister, to my knowledge is neither an engineer, an architect, planning expert or constructor. Yet he decrees that the site be cleared and construction of new dwellings commence immediately in the same location without even finding out what caused this disaster in the first place. I am sorry but that is crazy. How do we know that the site is suitable for continuous human habitation? Where are the plans for the replacement buildings, the excavations and ground works, electrical and sanitary installations, and the list goes on? By all means rehouse these people but let common sense prevail and let us use this opportunity to build better with quality for the future life of the residents uppermost in our minds. A knee jerk reaction is not in the interest of the best long term solution.
I thought Dominica had a HOUSING REVOLUTION…If it did, I wonder who benefitted from it! ..Is it the same GREEDY,WICKED AND EVIL ONES?
Thumps up to you PM.
——FOOLISHNESS——-
“Following this $1,000, the families will be provided weekly or fortnightly or monthly, and that will be determined.
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So what’s the point in trying have a gainful emplyment!!!!
OMG, what is happening to Dominica? Is PM Roosevelt Skerrit master and Lord over all things in Dominica and no law or Constitution really cannot stop him from doing what he wants? According to the laws of Dominica, if a person dies suddenly, no burial can take place unless there is an investigation and medical report, to ensure cause of death. In this case a massive fire that destroyed five homes on Monday night a holiday, and by Tuesday, backhoe has already sent to clear the area? Furthermore PM is already trying to mobilize contractor to commence work by Thursday , in that same fire place? Where does planning division come in? Should I conclude that the PM had already secured planning approval before the fire! Just asking g because I just can’t figure it out
This man Roosevelt Skerrit is overriding every law and regulations even those passed by his government to be seen to be acting speedily and a saviour
Good Job Prime Minister…
Let me see who have bad to say now…
Do bad they talk, do good they still talk…. But dont stop doing…
Just doe forget the roads for farmers please… i tired hear my grandmother cry about getting to her farm…
In allu face. When allu finish say the PM bad. I saw Linton standing there like what shall I do. His people yet he cannot offer a damn or do nothing for them.
What an idiot!!!! Well give him Linton, the tax money of the country ( not yours,you sound stupid and unemployed),then you will talk afterwards..
i applaud the pm. help those who needs help!
A heavy equipment is doing some clearing?????? So the police has already determined the cause of the fire???I wonder what the police has to say on that!!!DOMINICA IS INDEED A STRANGE PLACE!!!!