Top Dominican, China and UNDP officials assess recovery efforts nearly six months after Maria

Engineers Without Borders (EwB) engineer James Curren demonstrates the resilient features of a model roof to representatives during the tour

Roseau, Dominica, 6 March 2018— High level representatives from the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) conducted site visits on Monday 5th March 2018 to the Princess Margaret Hospital, the Woodbridge Bay Port, the Dublanc Health Center and a home in Colihaut to examine the progress of roofing repairs.

The visit takes place as Dominicans are starting to reap benefits in sturdier roofing from US$3 million worth of roofing materials through the China-funded project, implemented by UNDP with national counterparts.

Since the beginning of the year, approximately 840 cubic metres of roofing material have arrived in Dominica. The roofing repairs are scheduled for completion by the end of June 2018. In the immediate hurricane aftermath, the Government of China also offered US$800,000 to support efforts to build back better.

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Planning, Economic Development & Investment the Honourable Dr. John Collin McIntyre, expressed the Government of Dominica’s gratitude for this generous donation which represents the continuation of a strong friendship between the two countries.

Ambassador Lu Kun of China expressed that his Government attaches great importance to this project, and that they chose to collaborate with UNDP given its professionalism and experience in early recovery.

Building back better – A countrywide Building Damage Assessment led by UNDP in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria has revealed that 19 percent of all residential buildings in Dominica were destroyed, 26 percent suffered major damage, 29 percent suffered minor damage and 27 percent minimal damage.

¨As part of the UNDP’s Build Back Better approach, we are promoting disaster-resilient communities, and this means ensuring that critical buildings such as health centers can survive the worst storms, ¨ said UNDP Resident Representative for Barbados and the OECS, Stephen O’Malley, thanking the government of China for the contribution to this approach, particularly urgent in view of the next hurricane season a few months away.

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10 Comments

  1. March 7, 2018

    Please extend the free duty for building materials. Make it easier for people to come back.they will be able to help build back better. But the cost at the port………..it is not encouraging. It discourages Dominicans from contributing as much as they can

  2. Shameless
    March 7, 2018

    :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: And the picture parades continue. Please people enough showmanship. Go to work and rebuild the country. Talk talk talk and more talk while we can’t even cover our parliament building. SMFH! :twisted: :twisted:

    Assertive like Ma Maria! :twisted:

    • Gary
      March 7, 2018

      The opening statement of your comment is laughable, pity you for such vision and understanding. Here you have a foreign Government and an Agency of The UN in Dominica both outlining their plans to help the country rebuild its critical infrastructure and you suggesting such thing as showmanship, and by the way, isn’t that part of the rebuilding process taking place in Dominica. As to the Parliament building, The Government has already outlined the situation.

  3. RandyX
    March 7, 2018

    Oh look, we in Dominica reinvented the wheel. The Chinese try and do their best not to laugh…
    Jokes apart, one particular thing interests me though and I’m curious where the 840 cubic metres of roofing materials will end up. I guess some of it will resurface just in time before next election. The remainder will be for sale soon by certain labour operatives.

    • Gary
      March 7, 2018

      It is sad what your political partisan beliefs have done to your mind. The scenario you are suggesting, “I guess some of it will resurface just in time before next election.The remainder will be for sale soon by certain labor operatives,” such statement is not of a curious mind but a malicious mind driven by your ignorance and political partisan beliefs. Do you think The Chines Government and The UNDP would just give such aid and not have checks and balances in place to make sure The Government utilizes the aid for the purpose it was intended for, so long for your foolishness.

  4. Dominic
    March 7, 2018

    Where was Roosevelt Skerrit? Galavanting again?

    • Neville
      March 7, 2018

      Soon he will govern the country from New York via the internet. That’s his dream. Let’s face it he does not really need to be in DA because he doesn’t do any work here nor is he pushing the country forward. The only thing he does nowadays (sell or give away our passports) doesn’t require him to be in DA, but he would visit occasionally to spew his political propaganda and hand some cheques to the cabal to keep them in line during his absence.

      • Gary
        March 7, 2018

        Why use your imagination to create nonsense and then attribute it to someone. Do you think the scenario you outlined regarding the governance of Dominica is allowed in our constitution. Do you believe that Dominicans are that stupid to allow such thing. Please use your imagination wisely.

      • Neville
        March 8, 2018

        Since when your master cares for the constitution. Remember: no law and no Constitution….
        You can come on here as often as you want and try it with some propaganda and spin. I do not know who you are but I’m sure you are a leading member of the cabal. You are a miserable human being that’s sells his/her country for a few dollars at election time!

    • Toto
      March 7, 2018

      Skerrit in Venezuela, commemorating the death of pappy Chavez. That more important to him than helping his people rebuild back home?

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