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Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau South Constituency Honourable Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite has outlined some of the plans for her constituency which were included in the 2020/2021 national budget.

Honourable Hypolite says the construction of resilient housing units are amongst the top priorities for the constituents in Roseau South.

“In the area of housing, forty three apartment units will be built at Giraudel for the constituents of Roseau South, and this is expected to begin in this fiscal year. Ten Preconco houses will also be built at Charlotte Valley Estate in Newtown and thirty in Bath Estate. Mr. Speaker in 2019 2020, 9.4 million dollars was spent in the Roseau South constituency for housing with six hundred and eight one constituents benefitting. We as a government will continue to assist the residents in Roseau South with their housing needs,” Hon. Hypolite stated.

Abandoned properties in the constituency has always been an issue but plans are in place to utilize these properties.

“Our Government, through this budget, have introduced two pivotal programs that can be used to accelerate the structural renaissance of Roseau South. The reduction in land property transfer fees for both buyer and seller; and the introduction of the property tax. The 2011 National Census unearthed invaluable data on the nature of idle properties in Roseau South, while some regions in Roseau South are amongst the most structurally appealing in Dominica. There are others that are embarrassingly unsightly. This state of affairs is untenable and most be changed in this new era,” she explained.

The Roseau South Parliamentary Representative says although 7.3 million dollars was spent on road rehabilitation in 2019/2020, work in the Roseau South constituency will continue. 

“Some roads that were done during the 2019 2020 period includes the Castle Comfort to Giraudel back road at a cost of 5.9 million, the Clarke access road, at a cost of 447,000 dollars, the Wall House road at a cost of 593,000 dollars. But we are not finished. We know that we have a lot more roads to be rehabilitated in Roseau South. But under the Community Road Enhancement Project, other road project will be undertaken around this constituency,” the MP noted.

The long awaited new road rehabilitation projects will also commence following the 2020/2021 fiscal year budget.

“The Loubiere to Bagatelle Road is on its way. The Wall House Main Road was recently rehabilitated. The Newtown sidewalk project from Sukie’s all the way to the Fortune junction is carded to begin in the first quarter of this financial year,” MP Hypolite announced.  

The Roseau South MP added that the Bath Estate to Elmshall Bridge will be constructed.

“The Bath Estate to Elmshall Link Bridge forms part of the estimates for 2020 2021. The bridge is estimated at a cost of ten million dollars. I want to assure the residents of Elmshall that this bridge will be done. Discussions will be held with you the residents of Elmshall, post this budget discussion,” she stated.

Meantime, the construction of a new health center is also part of the Roseau South development plans.

“The construction of the modern Newtown health center will begin in September 2020. The Newtown community has waited patiently and our moment has arrived. Budgetary provisions have been made and we say a big thank you,” she further noted.