A total of 734 families are expected to soon benefit from newly built, repaired or reconstructed homes, courtesy the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The announcement was made by Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves, during today’s sitting of Parliament.
“Seven Hundred and Thirty-Four Families in St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be in better situations in housing, because of what is in budget 2024. That is a people centered investment in housing. Two hundred and fifty plus of those houses are going to be newly constructed houses, because of what took place in 2021, with the volcanic eruptions of the La Soufriere Volcano. Houses were destroyed had to be rebuilt,” said Minister Gonsalves.
“Additionally, the Volcanologist told us that persons should not continue to live in certain areas in St. Vincent and the Grenadines because those are danger zones. When the Lahars come down, when the next eruption happens, you don’t want people living there. They could die. In addition to rebuilding houses that had been destroyed, we have to relocate,” explained Gonsalves.
The 754 homes to be built, repaired or substantially reconstructed are spread among three programmes in the Capital Estimates: The Lives to Live Programme, the Home Reconstruction Project – Phase II, and the Housing Reconstruction/Rehabilitation Project.54 Together, these three programmes will receive $24.3 million in 2024.
This year’s Capital Budget allocates over $24 million to build and repair houses across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Specifically, in 2024 alone, the Government hopes to build 234 new houses, repair an additional 495 houses, and reconstruct a further 25 homes that sustained severe damage in recent disasters.
