Dominica Gives Free Hurricane-proof Homes to Thousands of Families, Built Using Citizenship by Investment Funds
26 May, 2020, 10:26 BST
LONDON, May 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Dominica has been nothing short of extraordinary in terms of building climate resilience. After a 226% GDP wipeout by Hurricane Maria in 2017, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit firmly anchored the small Caribbean island on its journey to becoming "the world's first climate-resilient nation." With the hurricane season starting in a week, Dominica is more prepared than ever to protect its most vulnerable residents.
The authorities embarked on a grand mission to build over 5,000 hurricane-proof homes for families displaced by previous weather challenges, under the umbrella project called the Housing Revolution. Over a thousand families have already received their keys and more are set to move into their new, safe homes before the start of the hurricane season, particularly in areas most at risk. The government collected funds through the island's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, which has been a worldwide success, named the best second citizenship for investors by the CBI Index, published yearly by the Financial Times' PWM magazine.
"The hurricane season, as we know, is approaching, and the apartment buildings in Delices and La Plaine will soon be given out to the potential recipients and this is a big, big boost for the constituency because we know that is a very vulnerable area in terms of hurricanes and other disasters," said Kent Edwards, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, this week.
"Presently, we are in the process of handing over our apartment units to 64 beneficiaries in the Grand Fond community," says Greta Roberts, Dominica's Minister of Governance, Public Service and Ecclesiastical Affairs. "I am just as excited as the recipients are, especially with the approaching hurricane season," she admitted. "No one wants to be reminded of [Hurricane] Maria, so in addition to the 64 units, we have also ensured that there is a hurricane shelter within those apartments."
The government partnered with Canadian firm Montreal Management Consultants Est. (MMCE) to build the projects under the Housing Revolution, which also includes health centres, shopping centres, sports facilities, etc. MMCE CEO Anthony Haiden previously commented: "This unique and highly successful project illustrates the social benefits that can accrue to the public at large from Dominica's economic citizenship programme, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria [in 2017] and Tropical Storm Erika in 2015."
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