Contracts were recently signed for the construction of three new social homes on the sister islands as part of the Housing Recovery Assistance Programme, government announced.
Two homes will be built in North Sound, Virgin Gorda — one for Gladyvet Walters and one for Sydney and Elmore Wheatley — and the third will be for Lucien Callwood of White Bay, Jost Van Dyke.
Health and Social Development Minister Vincent Wheatley said the programme had “stopped for a while,” but he was happy to see it resuming, according to Government Information Services.
“They are much needed, particularly for Gladyvet Walters, who has been living in a temporary shelter for the last six years, I believe,” Mr. Wheatley said in a GIS press release. “I am happy to see she is getting her home started.”
Sydney Wheatley, he added, recently lost his parents, and he has not been able to live on his home island for years.
“I think since the hurricane he has been living on Tortola with friends, and he is finally getting his home on Virgin Gorda to move back there,” Mr. Wheatley said. “It is very pleasing to see a young person receiving the much-needed help. Hopefully, we can get more funding to create more social homes for other persons who may need help since the hurricane and so forth.”
The contracts
K&C Construction received a $215,919.70 contract to build the Wheatleys’ home, and Construction and Engineering Systems (BVI) Limited received the other two contracts, valued at $225,701.75 for Ms. Walters’ home and $210,836.50 for Mr. Callwood’s, according to GIS.
More homes to come
Since the beginning of the Housing Recovery Assistance Programme, 21 homes have been built and more than 200 have been repaired, government stated.
Former Health and Social Development Minister Marlon Penn said on March 27 — when the 20th and 21st homes were handed over in Sea Cows Bay and Zion Hill — that eight more planned social homes were at various stages of the tender progress.