Thirty two more families have benefited under the Government’s Housing Revolution as they received keys to brand new homes in the Hillsborough Gardens in St. Joseph.
The beneficiaries received their keys from the Prime Minister at an official ceremony held at the site on Wednesday, October 9th 2019 in front of various cabinet officials.
Chairman of the St. Joseph Village Council, John Williams stated that this housing revolution has become a hallmark for the Government of Dominica. He encouraged the recipients to take care of their new homes, and to show their appreciation by taking pride in the buildings.
He also told the rest of the constituents to be patient as they will soon benefit from the rest of the homes that will soon be built in the area.
“In my opinion, housing should always be ranked as the most important infrastructural priority, ensuring shelter over the heads of our people, which has become a hallmark for our Government. As these houses are officially handed over to their new owners, I wish also to caution the recipients. Please look after the homes, take pride in them, and keep the surroundings clean. If you do so, it will not only mean a better environment, but it will show the value and appreciation you have for your new home. Those who will not be receiving a key today, I say to you be patient. There are many more houses to be built for the people of St. Joseph and Layou. This just the first slice of the cake. There are many more to come,” the chairman stated.
Operations Manager at the Sustainable Housing Solutions Ltd, who were responsible for the construction of the thirty two units, Joshua Reid, thanked the Government for the opportunity to bring the sustainable housing models to Dominica.
“We all recognize the enormous need for sustainable housing here in Dominica and the Caribbean, and it has been a privilege to be part of the team entrusted with delivering homes that can provide future generations with modern, comfortable, and sustainable housing solutions. We wish to thank the Government of Dominica for the opportunity to bring the sustainable housing model to Dominica and for working with us to ensure that future generations can enjoy the safety and comfort and most importantly the peace of mind of being able to live in a sustainable home,” Reid noted.
According to Reid, the new units are able to withstand seismic conditions as well as Category five hurricane conditions. He further revealed that they will continue to work with the Government to provide more housing for vulnerable citizens, while also working with the private sector.
“The homes are built as fully engineered concrete structures, including a concrete roof which is energy efficient, allowing for homes to be cool on the inside. They are also designed to withstand the intensity of a category 5 hurricane and high seismic conditions. The homes here are only part of the solution that we, together with the Government of Dominica, will be delivering. In the coming months we will be commissioning the plant here in Dominica, so that we can produce upwards of twenty homes per month as well as offer other building structures to the private sector throughout the country” Reid added.
Parliamentary Representative for the St. Joseph Constituency, Kelver Darroux expressed thanks to all the individuals and organizations who assisted with the project, and was instrumental to bringing the quality homes to reality.
“Thank you to the Prime Minister for making the funds available for this very important project fior the people here in St. Joseph, Layou, and Mero. Thank you to my cabinet colleagues for your support and ensuring that we all worked together to build back Dominica after Hurricane Maria. Thank you to Sustainable Housing Solutions Ltd for such a beautiful product that will benefit many people here in the constituency. Thank you to DOMLEC and DOWASCO for working tirelessly over the last few weeks to ensure that the connections for electricity and water could be a reality for these homes and the streetlights. Thank you to all the men and women who worked on this project, the painters, the block layer, the tile layers, etc. The product that you have produced is of tremendous quality and we are very grateful and appreciative of this,” Minister Darroux stated.
The Honorable Minister went on to say that the occasion is symbolic of the effectiveness and great leadership of the current administration.
“This afternoon, I stand here as a proud Parliamentary representative, because ten years ago, we completed the first phase of the Hillsborough Gardens Development, and now ten years later we have begun the second phase of this development. It shows my dear friends a Government with a vision, a Government with a plan, a Government that cares and a Government that has proper and effective leadership, and that is what we are presenting to you this afternoon,” Minister Darroux added.
Prime Minister of Dominica, and Minister for Housing and Lands, Honorable Roosevelt Skerrit stated that this is the first step to transforming the villages in the St. Joseph constituency into modern communities.
“The ability to build adequate homes for residents in these three villages is compromised by the small sizes of the lots with the inability to put in a septic tank and the suck away system. And so what we want to do with St. Joseph Layou and Mero is to seek to transform these communities into more modern communities. And so we are building homes here, and we intend to build about a hundred homes here in Hillsborough Gardens and as we move you from St. Joseph and Layou and Mero the intention is to redevelop these existing communities into what we are doing here in Hillsborough Gardens. And to make Layou St. Joseph, and Mero into more aesthetically more appealing, more comfortable and more inviting for more commercial and social activity,” the Prime Minister announced.
The Nation’s Leader went on to add that occasions like this are happy time for the government as they continue to bring about changes in the lives of citizens.
“For me personally, and of course for the Government, it is not about the cost of these homes that preoccupies our mind. For us it is the joy that handing over keys to families and the difference that it makes in their lives,” The Prime Minister added.