Roseau, Dominica – March 05, 2008……….As its housing revolution 
continues to impact the lives of more Dominicans across the country, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit last week presented a cheque for $300,000 to the Grand Bay village council for home repairs and renovation in the community.
In an address at the handing-over of the cheque last Tuesday, the Prime Minister also pledged an additional amount of $700,000 to the council once the first tranche of $300,000 has been spent.
The Prime Minister emphasised that never in the history of Dominica that “Government has sought to address the housing problem in Dominica in the way that this Government has done”.
According to Minister for Housing, Hon. Reginald Austrie, the sum of $202,000 has already been spent on home repairs in Grand Bay, taking total expenditure on housing renovation in that community to over $500,000.
Parliamentary Representative for the Grand Bay constituency and Minister for Health, Hon. John Fabien also revealed that in the immediate aftermath of the passage of Hurricane Dean in August last year, Government spent over $500,000 on home repairs in Grand Bay.
In his 2006 National Day Address, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit announced that 2007 would see the start of a major housing revolution in Dominica.
Under the Housing Revolution programme which has several components, Dominicans have been able to access mortgage loans at interest rates of 4% and 5% while low income earners have bought land at $1 per square foot, with access to the Special Mortgage Facility at the AID Bank.
In addition over 500 homes have been repaired under the Home Repair and Sanitation Programme.
Presently, new houses are being constructed in Belle Vue Chopin, St. Joseph, the Carib Territory and Portsmouth.
The Housing Revolution is being financed through grant funds from the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
For more information contact:
Sean Douglas
Press Secretary
Office of the Prime Minister
Email: seansworth@yahoo.com
Mobile: + 1 767-235-2955
Financial Centre
Kennedy Avenue, Roseau
Commonwealth of Dominica
Tel: + 1 767 266-3054
Fax: +1 767- 448-8960
Ref: 43/2008
