As part of his accountability to the people of Dominica at the country’s 43rd independence anniversary, PM Roosevelt Skerrit has taken stock of current government projects nationwide. According to the national leader, Dominica continues to do well in terms of infrastructural development despite the COVID-19 scourge and its attendant economic effects.
During his anniversary speech, Skerrit said his administration remains committed to road and housing construction projects across the country, as well as uplifting the standards of education in Dominica. In listing the ongoing road rehabilitation projects in the country, the prime minister said the East Coast road is being rehabilitated at the cost of EC$126 million and that it will be completed soon.
He noted that the completion of the East Coast road will facilitate the movement of people and goods from that region to other parts of the country. He said it will also limit impacts from extreme weather events while boosting economic activities in communities within the region. He added that the Hillsborough Bridge at Layou and the Layou East road will be completed next year.
The continuing work on the Hillsborough Bridge at Layou is scheduled to be completed by January 2022. The Layou East road between Hillsborough Bridge and Yorke Valley Bridge is progressing satisfactorily and is expected to be completed by December 2022. This EC$11.5 million dollar investment is expected to create new opportunities for investments in agriculture and tourism.
Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica
According to the prime minister, the part of the road from Yorke Valley Bridge and Warner/Sultan Junction is scheduled for completion next.
He also revealed that the Loubiere-Bagatelle road will be rehabilitated in the second quarter of 2022, and that the necessary surveys and construction designs are being carried out at the moment. This project will include the construction of the Mitcham Bridge and others, while strenghtening the integrity of the roads.
Skerrit also declared that the DLP government is on course to build climate-resilient houses for vulnerable families in Dominica. Under his Housing Recovery Programme and the EU-funded housing programme in the Kalinago Territory, the prime minister stated that most people will become houseowners in the country.
This government’s efforts to encourage homeownership have continued with the extension of the initiative of providing grants to first-time homeowners, which has seen several people benefitting thus far. Home construction takes time, but these programmes will reach everyone, particularly the vulnerable. The government is also dedicated to constructing hurricane shelters in major areas of the nation. Several have been completed already, but the ones being built in Jimmit and Castle Bruce will be completed next year, while approval has been given to also build a shelter as well as a multicultural centre in the Kalinago Territory.
Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica
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