Government gives houses to flood victims

Fri, Jun 13, 2014

Seven persons whose homes were damaged or destroyed as a result of the 2013 Christmas Eve Floods received new homes compliments the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines at an Official Handing Over Ceremony, held in Langley Park on Friday, June 6.{{more}}

According to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, it is the first time that any Government in the history of St Vincent and the Grenadines has built new homes for persons affected by a natural disaster. The Prime Minister noted that since the Christmas Eve floods, ninety houses have been constructed.

Dr Gonsalves said that since assuming office in 2001, the Government has constructed over 1,000 houses, which include low income houses and homes for victims of natural disasters. “Never in the history of this country that any Government has built so many houses as the ULP,” the Prime Minister reiterated. “If you put all the Governments together from 1951, if you add all the houses that all of them built the ULP built, four times of what they built,” he added.

The Prime Minister noted that the homes at Langley Park, which are of no cost to the victims, are two bedroom houses, with bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen, with 800 square feet of floor space. Dr Gonsalves also noted that these homes have pipe borne water and electricity. He added that the average cost of these houses is $68,000. The PM said if the cost of the land is included, the cost will be in the region of $88,000 to the five persons who have 4,000 square feet of land and the two houses with 2,000 square feet of land will amount to $78,000 each.

At the handing over ceremony, 10 persons also received letters for lands in the same vicinity. The lands, which are worth $5 per square foot, will be sold to the persons at $2 per square foot, at an interest rate of three per cent and five years’ interest maximum.(API)