Dominica Govt signs contract for housing units on island

DOMINICA: The government of Dominica has signed a contract with Canadian company Montreal Management Consultants Est. (MMCE) Ltd for housing in various locations on the island, The project includes housing construction in Roseau, Portsmouth and the East Coast.

During a press conference held at the Ministry of Finance conference room, the contract was signed by the Financial Secretary, Rosamund Edwards and CEO of MMCE Ltd, Dr Anthony Haiden on Monday.

While addressing the ceremony Project Manager for MMCE, Chris Timmins said they are finally in a position to sign contracts on some projects we have actually started.

“The plan at the moment is, and the plan in actuality is, we are building 66 units in La Plaine, 66 residencies in San Sauveur, 66 in Grand Fond, 66 in Castle Bruce, 66 in Delices. That’s on the East Coast,” he said.

Sixty-six units are also under construction in Georgetown, Picard and Cotton Hill.

"Roseau City Square which is due to start in the final quarter of this year and will include 120 units. These units are made up of 10 one-bedroom units, 55 two-bedroom units, 35 three-bedroom units and 25 commercial units," said Timmins.

“We have been on the island now for two years, we started up in Bellevue on residential construction in May 2017,” he stated.

He said construction at Bellevue stopped due to Hurricane Maria but started in May 2018 and the first units are now in their final stage.

“We feel that we now are in a position to offer to the country the most resilient product that is available with modern technology,” Timmins noted.

The slated delivery dates for the units will begin in June 2019 in Castle Bruce through December 2019 on the East Coast. In Georgetown and Picard, it is anticipated the units will be delivered in July 2019 and Cotton Hill, September 2019.

“The Roseau City Square, it will be 12 months from commencement, so given the present state we anticipate the completion there no later than 2019,” Timmins indicated.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing, Lucien Blackmoore, who gave an overview of the project, said in the East Coast about 330 residential units are going to be constructed.

“We have already started works in Castle Bruce; we will be having 66 units,” he stated. “Of course, we have already started in San Sauveur where we have another 66 units, Delices likewise and La Plaine likewise. In Grand Fond we have two sites where we call Grand Fond A and Grand Fond B.”

Blackmoore explained that Grand Fond A is adjacent to the Primary School and Grand Fond B is opposite the playing field.

“All the sites are ready in very active and advanced stage of development,” he revealed.