Ex-teachers’ quarters project at Amitié depends on new budget |26 November 2012

This was said by the Minister for Land Use and Housing Christian Lionnet when answering a question put to him by National Assembly member Marc Volcère last week.

The first phase, which has already been completed, comprises 30 units of which 18 are two-bedrooms and 12 three-bedrooms. The second phase was planned to have two blocks of 12 units of three-bedroom houses.

Minister Lionnet said his ministry has requested funding from the 2013 budget, so that work can start on the second phase of the project.  

He added that his ministry has also identified several other sites on Praslin for the development of housing projects.

“My ministry has also identified sites such as ex-Moulinié phase three at Baie Ste Anne, ex-Lablache at Grand Anse, Kan Per at Baie Ste Anne, Saint Sauveur at Grand Anse, Mont Plaisir, and ex-police house at Grand Anse,” he said.

Mr Lionnet said his ministry is evaluating a site at Le Niol (Dan Gala) on Mahé to determine what kind of development can be be done there, as well as road access.

Minister Lionnet also answered a question from Kevin Vidot of English River about measures his ministry is taking to ensure that members of the public who buy land bank plots do build on them after purchase.

“(Land banks) are in line with our policy to help people with land at more affordable prices than on the open market, and in the majority of cases, the government does not make a profit on such transactions. This is to ensure that people can get a plot of land – where available – at affordable prices, and we are concerned with people who buy land but do not build on it.

Out of 190 plots of land allocated, only 70 have been developed, but the only control of how the land is managed is our policy that the buyer cannot sell the land within seven years from the year of purchase. If someone decides to sell his plot of land, he has to offer it to the government as a potential client first. We are not placed to put in more measures as they would not be in line with the country’s Constitution,” he said. 

“We are currently carrying out a study though, to find out why the other people who have bought the other 120 plots are not developing them,” added Minister Lionnet.