300 Vincentians to get Venezuelan funded homes

Three hundred dirt-poor citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are in line for government houses, courtesy The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s Alba Caribe fund.{{more}}

The Venezuelan government has approved a grant of US$3.34 million through the Alba Caribe fund, which is the social development arm of the Petro Caribe initiative, for the construction of 300 houses for the indigent poor in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves made the announcement at a press conference on Monday, September 15.

He said that while government has been building low and middle-income houses, the very poor among us need an intervention in this regard.

He said that one-bedroom houses have been distributed to some persons in this situation, while other persons have received assistance with building material and lands, but a wider scale project was necessary.

“There are some dirt poor people who find it difficult to improve their housing stock,” Dr Gonsalves said.

He used the opportunity to again highlight the strategic importance of the much talked about and often maligned Petro Caribe agreement and pledged his continued commitment to it.

“For those who tell me I must un-sign it (the Petro Caribe agreement)…if you want a Prime Minister to un-sign the Petro Caribe agreement, get one. Not this one!” (KJ)