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News from the Caribbean as of
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Low income Dominicans benefit from government squatter policy
Thursday, July 20, 2006
ROSEAU, Dominica: Over one hundred and sixty-seven low income persons and possibly over 500 persons altogether in Dominica have benefited from a decision made by the Skerrit administration last year to offer land to eligible squatters at only EC$1 per square foot.
In addition, all fees associated with the transfer of the land are being met by the Government of Dominica.
In its 2005 General Election manifesto, the Dominica Labour Party stated: “Every effort will be made to place squatters in decent housing environments. While Labour does not encourage or condone squatting, it is nevertheless appreciative of the vulnerabilities of such families and will seek to regularize their living conditions, including earmarking new state owned locations at peppercorn rates.”
In his Budget Address to Parliament on July 11, 2006, Prime Minister Skerrit stated the number of persons who have benefited from the Squatter Regularization Policy.
“In keeping with this Policy, approximately one hundred and sixty-seven (167) low-income persons who had been illegally occupying State lands at Ravine Bernard (Canefield), Stock Farm, Fond Cole Housing scheme, Guillette/Savanne Paille, Fond Cole South, Chemin Neuf (Point Mitchel), Jimmit, Tarish Pit, Calibishie and Maranatha Square (Geneva) have been regularized in the last year.”
It is Government’s intention to continue the Squatter Regularization process in all twenty-five (25) known squatter sites on the island. To this end two additional surveyors were awarded contracts with a view to accelerating the pace of implementation of the Programme.
In keeping with a long established tradition of ensuring that as many Dominicans as possible own their own land and build their own homes, Skerrit is holding true to a tradition that inspired the founding fathers of the Dominica Labour Party, namely Emmanuel Loblack, Phyllis Shand Alfrey and later Edward Oliver Leblanc, to form the Dominica Labour Party at a time when many Dominicans were landless and poor.
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