Dominica hands over houses to 60 families as Christmas gift

In a major step towards making Dominica the planet’s first climate-resilient nation, the Roosevelt Skerrit-led government on Thursday, December 19, gave 60 families keys of their new houses. In a handing-over ceremony of the Ministry of Housing at the State House Conference Center in Roseau, the government fulfilled the promise that the prime minister made at a press conference last week to gifting houses as a Christmas and New Year gift where people can make a fresh beginning.  

Melissa Poponne-Skerrit, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, who was present at the ceremony, called handing over the houses “a significant milestone”. She said the 60 homes were given to the beneficiaries under two transformative initiatives – Housing Recovery Project (HRP) and 11th European Development Fund (EDF). 

Of the 60 homes, 54 were built with World Bank funding, which increased the number of houses delivered under the HRP to 285. The remaining six were constructed through grant funding from the EDF, raising the programme’s total to 42, the Office of the Prime Minister of Dominica said. 

The keys were handed over by Melissa Skerrit and Dominica’s Deputy Prime Minister Irving McIntyre.

Act of compassion and progress

“What could be a more meaningful way to usher in this Christmas season than this act of compassion and progress?” she asked. Melissa Skerrit, who is the wife of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, said many people ask why the government gives free homes and her counter-question to them is whether housing isn’t a human right. 

“Isn’t it our job as a government to ensure that people of this country have a right to sleep at night without fear? Homes are not a luxury. They are a necessity. A home is not just a structure. It is a foundation for stability, a source of security, and a cornerstone of dignity,” the minister said while addressing several government dignitaries, members of the press and the public.  

“For families who have endured years of uncertainty and hardship, the opportunity to own their land and house is a lifelong dream that signifies permanent investment in these families’ futures.”

Minister Melissa Skerrit had also shared on Facebook images of the 60 homes on the eve of the handing-over ceremony. “Some have already started their backyard gardens and putting personal touches! With hurricane resilient homes ready for future development we wish all the recipients a blessed and happy Christmas,” she said in her post that showed the houses painted in green, blue and red, as per the recipients’ personal preferences. 

She said those who were handed over the houses on Thursday had their previous residences destroyed by Hurricane Maria of 2017. She added that people like a single mother or a retired, old farmer who lost their shelters in natural disasters needed a helping hand and that is what the government of Dominica stands for – “Lifting people up and out of poverty”.

Sixth HRP handover ceremony

Thursday’s ceremony marked the sixth HRP handover and fifth in two years since she took charge of the ministry. Poponne-Skerrit said 67 homes were under construction under the HRP and 27 were in an advanced stage for delivery in coming months. “This project goes beyond rebuilding homes, it’s rebuilding lives,” she said. 

Melissa Skerrit said 90 homes were also handed over in the Kalinago Territory which was battered by Maria, showing the government’s commitment to investing in housing recovery projects in that area. “Based on these construction figures, we are at 83 per cent of our target,” she said.  

The minister also informed that 172 beneficiaries have received land-ownership documentation under the project, which was challenging to achieve. The minister said for the families owning land opens new opportunities such as access to credit, inter-generational wealth transfer and a renewed sense of dignity. They can now rebuild their lives without fearing displacement, Poponne-Skerrit added.

The housing minister said one of the most effective ways to fight poverty is through providing houses. 

“This is why we remain steadfast to our commitment to build 5000 resilient homes by 2030, and we are well on our way of accomplishing this feat while breaking the cycle of poverty. Because we believe that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the chance to thrive, to belong and to be successful,” she added.

Deputy PM McIntyre says resilience is at the heart

McIntyre, who represented the prime minister at the ceremony, said the government’s housing programme has made communities and families stronger and worked towards the broader vision of sustainable development across the island-nation. 

“Sustainable development and resilience are at the heart of everything we do. Our commitment dates back to our Dynamic Dominica pledge to ensure that all Dominicans are properly housed and that our national housing and property stock are among the highest quality and most hurricane-resilient in the Caribbean,” McIntyre, who is also the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Climate Resilience and Social Security, said.

Although the PM was not present, he posted a video on his official Facebook account showing the proceedings at the event.

Some of the beneficiaries also spoke on the occasion where they thanked the government of Dominica, particularly the prime minister and the housing minister, for giving them the new homes. 

Dominica strives towards becoming climate-resilient nation

Dominica, a small Caribbean island-state which is vulnerable to deadly sea storms in the region, has set up for itself a bold mission – to become the world’s first climate-resilient nation and one of the prime pillars of that ambition is building houses that can withstand the wrath of natural disasters. The country’s Housing Revolution Programme is a large-scale project that the government has launched to give its citizens resilient homes, especially those who have been seriously affected by devastating storms such as Erika (2015) and Maria (2017). 

Powered mainly through Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment programme, the initiative aims to build 5,000 hurricane-resilient houses across the island which will not only give shelter to vulnerable people but also cement the Caribbean state’s claim to become the world’s first climate-resilient nation. 

The initiative also has produced a positive effect on the local economy since the demand for construction materials has benefited local businesses and created jobs in the field of construction and supply. Several local government bodies, institutions and international funding agencies are involved in the revolutionary programme which is led by the Housing and Urban Development ministry. 

Other bodies involved in the mission are Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation and the Physical Planning Division. These organizations look after the management of construction waste and ensure compliance with building and resilience standards, respectively. 

The HRP, which caters to the most vulnerable citizens, streamlines the application process for eligible candidates besides replacing houses that have been damaged. Launched with the aid of government and international partners, the agency works on reconstructing safe and sustainable houses, reducing the communities’ risk against future environmental disasters. 

In January 2022, Prime Minister Skerrit remarked that a united effort would see the fulfilment of Dominica’s housing ambition. He said the government would continue to work on transformational projects that also include public facilities, health centres and other infrastructure besides resilient houses, to achieve a Dynamic Dominica.  

In October 2024, the Caribbean Development Bank said in a report that with its support and funding from Canada through the Dominica Climate Resilience and Restoration Fund, Dominica focuses on setting up climate-resilient infrastructure to give protection to its people. 

Eligibility under Housing Recovery Project

All permanent residents and citizens of Dominica, including those who live in the Kalinago Territory, can apply to be eligible under the HRP. During the application process, the potential beneficiaries must produce a proof of their land ownership or permission to occupy land besides the essential supporting documents. They also need to give the representatives of HRP access to the property where they would carry out a safety assessment.

The required documents include an official photo ID that could be in the form of a passport or social security card or driver's license; land title or permission to build which has to be produced before acceptance onto the project and citizenship documentation or permanent residence certificate if applicable. Other optional documents include a utility bill before Hurricane Maria and proof that one is a recipient of the Public Assistance Education Trust Fund or over 70 Allowance.