"I still live in a shelter" says PM Skerrit at Castle Bruce housing event

Dominica Government gives away 66 houses at Castle Bruce.

2025-08-01 17:35:52

“I still live in a shelter, I could have directed the state to build a Prime Minister’s house but this is not how the labour party works, We look after people first and this gives me the joy,” said Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit. The revolutionary Housing Dominica project of the Commonwealth of Dominica is worth applauding. Under the project, the government is providing more than six thousand climate-resilient houses to those who became homeless after the gut-wrenching Hurricane Maria. After handing over 68 houses in George Town, Portsmouth, the government organised an event in Castle Brue parliamentary constituency to hand over another 66 houses to the citizens of Dominica. Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit himself made his presence in the event and gave documents along with keys to the inhabitants.

It is to be mentioned that around 90% of buildings and houses were destroyed and damaged by Hurricane Maria in the year 2017. The Hurricane left many people without a roof on their heads and the government had promised to facilitate them with climate-resilient houses with modern amenities. Prime Minister said that he remembers most of the people in the audience from their faces and he also knows the names of some of them and he himself consider the requests of people regarding the houses. PM mentioned one of the old lady’s request to have a house on the second floor rather than the ground floor. PM Skerrit also mentioned the distribution system of the Housing project; he said: “In terms of the allocation of these houses we are starting with those who are in shelters, so everybody who is in a shelter in Castle Bruce will get priority in getting a house.” Dr Skerrit also added that the duties government have been providing in order to provide amenities to the citizens, the facilities such as free medical care to the old in the hospital and even the overseas education cost is free for the beneficiaries but the government has to pay all the expenses, to maintain all the free facilities in the country the government have been creating such revolutionary reforms. “If the government had not been there to help then there would have been just mere 10 or 20 houses in Dominica after the Hurricane Maria,” added Skerrit. Prime Minister said that in the year 2000 when the Labour Party came into government in the Commonwealth of Dominica, at that time many were not having access to education and healthcare facilities but after all these years the government managed to change all that and provided these facilities.

Monika Walker

Monika Walker is an experienced journalist specializing in global political developments and international relations. With a keen eye for accuracy and analysis, Monika has been reporting for over a decade, bringing stories to light that matter to readers around the world. She holds a degree in International Journalism and is passionate about giving a voice to underrepresented communities through factual reporting.