BVM Caribbean May

12 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 10, ISSUE 5 developments have sprung out across the East Coast, West Coast and the capital city, Roseau. To date, about 2,000 housing units have been completed by MMC Development Ltd. This year, housing developments will also rise in Scotts Head, Eggleston, Canefield, Vieille Case, Penville, Point Michel, Woodford Hill, Paix Bouche, and Roseau Valley. Meanwhile, a master-planned community development awaits the residents of Grand Bay in 2023. Beyond the beautifully crafted homes and picturesque view of Grand Bay Ville are services and amenities such as shops, basketball court, community centre, pocket parks, recreational spaces, and gas station; safely secured 24/7, with the police station and fire station within the area. The standard design proposed by MMC Development Ltd for the developments is a mixture of two- and three-bedroom houses and apartments with a toilet and bath, a living room, a dining area, and a kitchen. In addition, and as part of efforts to ensure resilience, the structure was built with reinforced concrete with stormproof windowpanes. It is also fortified with retaining walls, sewage and stormwater drainages, and all utility lines are underground. The units are granted, not sold nor rented, and are awarded to beneficiaries through a selection system based on dire and social needs, with particular consideration for single mothers. Aside from providing climate-resilient homes, the programme also paved the way for the creation and sustenance of livelihoods. Local contractors and other skilled workers were employed for the various housing developments. With the rapidly changing environment, disaster recovery is now linked to the concepts of resilience and community renewal. And through the Integrated Housing Development Programme (IHDP) adopted by countries like Dominica, the integration of housing and recovery are successfully achieved -– proving that there is significant potential to improve the quality of life and the socio-economic status of even the most vulnerable.