{"id":165107,"date":"2016-06-21T09:03:46","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T13:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=165107"},"modified":"2016-06-21T11:59:13","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T15:59:13","slug":"commentary-relocating-a-rural-community-to-a-town-setting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/features\/commentary\/commentary-relocating-a-rural-community-to-a-town-setting\/","title":{"rendered":"COMMENTARY: Relocating a rural community to a town setting"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Houses
Houses and Yards in Caribbean Sketches by Roger Burnett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong. I am extremely concerned about the plight of the residents of Petite Savanne and I sympathize with the government\u2019s predicament in the wake of the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Erika.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I question the wisdom of relocating a rural community to a new town setting.<\/p>\n

The artist\u2019s impression, which presumably reflects the development concept, appears to be devoid of the principal attribute that contributed to the resident\u2019s lifestyle: namely, yard space. The envisaged new town completely annihilates the Petite Savannians previous way of life and livelihood. A repetitive high-density housing scheme might be the solution for city dwellers but not necessarily the best solution for rural Dominicans.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, there seems to be no attempt to incorporate Dominica\u2019s rich resource of raw materials. These materials have stood the test of time and contribute to what is left of our vernacular architectural heritage. Plastic, steel rebar and concrete are not home grown. True enough, neither is plywood and galvanize. But timber, bamboo, stone, sand, clay and lime mortar are available in abundance. Moreover, we have enough land to give yard space to those who want it.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in the world, the creation of new towns on green field sites, whether they be they high density or garden suburbs, have a checkered history. Relocating whole communities is even more problematic.<\/p>\n

An alternative solution would be to assist residents in building their own homes, either on land that remains stable at Petite Savanne, or elsewhere. The scheme could incorporate innovative architectural assistance and the learning of skills. Helping one\u2019s neighbor with major tasks would revive village unity and restore the pride that is found in using one\u2019s own labour and resources. I elaborated on these issues in my earlier commentaries: Culture Made Visible and Building Back Differently.<\/p>\n

COMMENTARY: Culture made visible<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n