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Sen. Julian Francis, right, is greeted by homeowner Donnie Collins as he arrives at the meeting on Saturday. (IWN photo)
Sen. Julian Francis, right, is greeted by homeowner Donnie Collins as he arrives at the meeting on Saturday. (IWN photo)

Homeowners at the government’s housing development in Clare Valley, where a house collapsed two weeks ago, have been urged not to vacate their homes.

“We have built over thirteen hundred houses in this country, and, unfortunately, one has collapsed. One too many! One too many!” Minister of State in the Ministry of Works, Sen. Julian Francis told homeowners at a meting last weekend.

He said he felt it for physician Katisha Douglas, the owner of the three-bedroom concrete house that collapsed on Sept. 19.

“… and I understand how the minister feels that one house collapsed. I understand how he feels; I am in his mind too. I am in the centre of the government; it’s burning me, it hurting me that one house failed. I will make sure that no more fail,” Francis further said.

A homeowner at the meeting in Clare Valley hinted at the potential economic fall out if residents vacate the houses out of fear for their lives.

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“I don’t want you all to evacuate your houses. I understand the fear. Trust me, I understand the fear. But it would not help us as a unit, as a development, as a neighbourhood, because, as you said this afternoon, if you so do, the bank is left with the property, your property. Those who stay –because all will not move — will depreciate,” said Francis, who was minister of Housing when the majority of the 58 homes houses, each of which cost at least EC$130,00, were built.

“So, let us act as a neighbourhood. Speak to each other, talk to each other, console each other, but you have to see action and you are going to see action,” he said.

Homeowners spoke at the meeting about the “disrespect” meted out to them by the Housing and Land Development (HLDC) (the state agency responsible for building the houses) when they complained about problems at the housing project.

Among the problems they identified were houses that were shaking, poor drainage, and “popping” tiles.

The house after it collapsed on Sept. 19. (IWN photo)
The house after it collapsed on Sept. 19. (IWN photo)

“One excuse I want to make for Housing and Land Development Corporation: we live through December, these fellas, they were occupied; they were concentrating on taking people out of the shelters,” Francis said of the HLDC’s efforts to build houses for victims of the December 2013 trough system.

“They have built between December and now the most houses they have built in their entire lives. One hundred and fifteen houses have been built between that period and now. Some of you fell in between,” Francis said.

And, Minister of Housing, Montgomery Daniel acknowledged the problems at the housing development.

“… I have seen what you are complaining about, and, of course, I too, I share your concern,” he told the meeting.

“… putting myself in your place, it is not easy for me to be living under some of those conditions. But I can say to you that this government has never run away from any such problems. And where there are problems, we respond and we respond positively to these challenges,” the housing minister told residents.

Clare Valley homeowners at the meeting on Saturday. (IWN photo)
Clare Valley homeowners at the meeting on Saturday. (IWN photo)

He said a soil specialist was expected to visit the area this week to assess the houses and make recommendation.

“The office of the Chief Engineer, as of Monday is doing a detailed analysis of every single house that is on site. The office of the Chief Engineer is also estimating the total drainage that is required. This will be done on the roads as well as where the plan itself shows between the houses where drains are to be established, that will also be done,” Daniel said.

Francis told the meeting that the HLDC should have constructed drains before building the houses, or do both at the same time.

“… if after the assessments are done … it shows outside of the remedial works that … a new house is to be established, we will established a new house…” Daniel said.

“The Ministry, therefore, awaits those reports. So, it is regrettable that complaints may have been made to the HLDC and that affirmative action may not have been taken at the time. But rest assured, I want to say to you, I want to say to the homeowners of Clare Valley that this government will do what it has to do to ensure the safety of the people, the homeowners who would have established property at this project site at Clare Valley.

“… I want, as minister, to give you that assurance, but that assurance will be based on the assessment that will come from the technical people who will give us the data to move forward,” Daniel said.

The houses were constructed as part of the government housing initiative, which has seen houses built in several locations across the country.

6 replies on “Sen. Francis urges Clare Valley homeowners not to vacate, promises remedial work”

  1. Shame on you, Mr. Francis, and on your the ULP government for building over 1,300 houses. What able-bodied and mentally-capable people need and want are three things that will allow them to build their own house.

    1. jobs

    2. jobs

    3. jobs

    On this front, the ULP government has failed miserably. It is so easy just to travel all over the world and beg and borrow money. The hard part is to create self-sustaining economic opportunity at home.

    Like many other small countries have done, Mr. Francis, you should do the heavy lifting of enacting policies and programmes to turn the local economy around. We are sick and tired of being beggars, borrowers, and thieves!

  2. The government is reponsable for these houses, trying to pretend that it is the banks and the owners, it is not.

    The government built the houses, the government are taking a risk with these peoples lives, just like they took a risk with peoples lives at Buccament, and they all died.

    The top and bottom is that they are totaly broke, they are in a quandry and know not how to handle the situation.

    Stop every other project and sort this problem out. Pull the houses down and rebuild, you must of known the risks of building on this particular piece of land, if you didn’t you should have.

    There was a report as late as 2006 saying the land was unsuitable for building.

    Just like there were reports for thirteen years regarding flooding at Buccament, which the government chose not to act on. The results of that was many dead and the destruction of homes and property.

  3. I can’t believe what I read sometimes. This is not stupid, it’s strupid, and only strupity people would utter such things. You mean to tell me that people’s life are in danger but the only thing I hearing is don’t bad talk, and stay in the house. What kinda strupidness is that? Ello, as soon as the house fell the whole situation changed. And if anyone is hurt after that, someone will be held responsible for it, because we have all the evidence to show that the houses are unsafe and break a lot of building codes.

    I understand these people might be votes in the area that you all need, but people’s lives are in danger and they need to seek safer pastures. At this point the ULP is not going to win again, it’s gone way past that point now, just give it up. Too much politics man, people’s lives are in dangers in those flamingo houses. You all wouldn’t let yourself or people you truly care about stay in those houses, so why must anyone else.

    THIS IS WICKEDNESS.

    OWN THE JAIL.

  4. Just listen to all those innocent children in the background who are at death’s door and Francis is telling them don’t move because it’s “only one house”. If Dr Douglas was ‘only’ 10mins. quicker i wonder if he would’ve said it’s ‘only’ one death, don’t move.

  5. Julian has it right: The drains should be built before the foundations for the houses. Doing that now may weaken the earth around the houses: Unless the drains are constructed with plastic tubing so that they can be buried in the earth to ensure stability of the earth around the houses.
    The price for these houses has depreciated. No one will pay more than $90k for any of them. Upgrade and corrective features can cost close to the price of the house, which means it is costing the buyer twice the amount.
    I have been complaining about drainage for some time now. I saw how terrible the practice was being perpetuated at Rutland Vale. This scenario, as bad as it, turned out to be wakeup calls for the government to ensure planning ensure drains are constructed before construction of homes.

  6. PEOPLE FORGIVE ,WHEN HE WAS SMALL HE FALL OUT OF A BUS COMING TO TOWN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND HE MAYBE GET SOME BRAIN DAMAGE.

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