The Prime Minister of Dominica during Budget Speech 2018/19 announced construction of new homes funded by Dominica citizenship by investment program .
For fiscal year 2018/19, non-tax revenue is estimated at $428.8 million or 54.4 percent of total revenues. This comes primarily from the Citizenship By Investment Programme (CBIP), which is expected to bring in $406.6 million. CBI administrative expenses $101.7 million
Hurricane Maria
Maria damaged or destroyed over 20,000 homes. The Government has targeted the construction of 5000 homes to adequately provide housing for families and citizens of the country. In that regard, this Government has already entered into a contract to build the first 1000 homes which we are satisfied can withstand Category 5 hurricanes and seismic events. Construction has already commenced.
Government has contracted an amount of EC$108.0 million with the World Bank for the construction of new homes for our citizens.
New Constructions
A total of three thousand, eight hundred and fifty-three (3,853) new homes are already contracted to be built. These homes will be outfitted with solar water heaters and the type of construction being employed will make the homes cooler and will conserve energy. We can say Madam Speaker, that those homes will be environmentally friendly.
In less than a year after the hurricane, this Government has designed homes, entered into contracts, mobilised contractors, started construction, built homes and some families are actually living in these new homes. This has been achieved despite high costs, scarce materials on the international market and a shortage of local labour and against the background of all the other rehabilitation and recovery work which had to take place in its own right and in order to enable housing construction.
Funds from CBI for Construction
Utilising funds exclusively from the CBI, the Government has been able to touch every community on the island. We have reached out to thousands of families and engaged all available local contractors. Recognising the fact that we lack adequate capacity, we have engaged contractors from neighbouring islands such as Barbados, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago to assist with Governments’ reroofing programme. We have also entered into an agreement with the Government of Cuba to bring in 100 skilled persons from the Republic of Cuba, eighty-five (85) of whom are already here working diligently.
5000 homes, 1000+ jobs, 16 children saved, 4 world-class hotels to develop tourism & economy.
This is how the #Citizenship by #Investment Programme is helping #Dominica this year, thanks to #investors worldwide. PM @SkerritR announces impressive figures: https://t.co/8QekhOLQ82 pic.twitter.com/xphJdqmfvS
— Dominica CBIU (@DominicaCBIU) August 6, 2018
These homes will be constructed under the CBI programme by the Montreal Management Consultants Est., the same company engaged in constructing the new Petite Savanne community in Bellevue Chopin.
Contracts have been signed and works are already on going in the following areas: –
● Georgetown in Portsmouth. This development will comprise nine buildings containing a total of sixty-eight (68) residences.
● La Plaine. Construction of sixty-six (66) residential units.
● Delices. Construction of sixty-six (66) residential units.
● Grand Fond. Construction of sixty-six (66) residential units
● Castle Bruce. Construction of sixty-six (66) residential units..
● San Sauveur. Construction of sixty-six (66) residential units.
● Cotton Hill in Lagoon in the Cottage constituency 68 residential units;
● Hillsborough Gardens 68 residential units
● Mahaut/Massacre 68 residential units
● Roseau City Square. This development targets two areas in the city. The area known as “The Pound” and “The River Bank.” A total of 135 units will be constructed and the developer should take possession of the site in September. The estimated construction period is 14 months.
These will add to the three hundred and forty-one (341) units under construction at Bellevue Chopin. The handing over of the first 91 homes in this development is scheduled for 31st August 2018.
The Government expects to have completed 369 residential homes in Bellevue Chopin in this financial year.
