Rehabilitation work at disaster hit districts following cyclone Felleng |07 December 2013

55% of works completed, says Minister Lionnet

Fifty-five percent of the 60 cases of rehabilitation works have either been completed or are near completion in the three districts which were severely affected by tropical cyclone Felleng in late January this year.

Land Use and Housing Minister Christian Lionnet said this on Thursday when he accompanied President James Michel on a tour of the districts of Pointe Larue, Anse Aux Pins and Au Cap to see some of the rehabilitation works that have completed and those that are still in progress.

Minister Lionnet added that another 15% of the cases still await the agreements from everyone concerned, for example way leave or contributions by those who have been affected.

“Work will continue and we hope to complete all the projects by mid-2014. The ministry and families are all satisfied with the rehabilitation works that have already completed,” said Minister Lionnet.

He called on everyone to cooperate in such circumstances to help preserve our own property and that of others.

The minister noted that some people had difficulty coming up with their financial contributions as it was explained at the very start that for all rehabilitation works the National Disaster Relief Fund, the affected parties and the government would share the costs.
 
It was also explained that the government would recuperate its contribution if the affected party decides to sell its property and the money would be transferred to the National Disaster Relief Fund.

Minister Lionnet explained that 189 cases were submitted among which 60 needed rehabilitation works estimated at R26 million and contracts worth R16 million have already been awarded.

He noted that after the disaster a taskforce was created under the leadership of Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, who is also the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports. The work of the taskforce was divided into three components – rehabilitation of infrastructure which fell under the Ministry of Land Use and Housing, drainage which fell under the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and social which fell under the Ministry for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports.

Minister Lionnet also talked about three housing projects of 180 housing units at Bel Ombre/Beau Vallon (ex-Kashoggi) for people in north Mahé, Grand Anse Mahé (ex-Indian Ocean Nursery) for people from Anse Boileau, Port Glaud and Grand, and Takamaka (ex-Desaubin) for people in south Mahé.

The three housing projects are expected to cost R250 million and are being funded by a grant by the Abu Dhabi government.

“We decided not to put this money into Perseverance as we wanted to decentralise the housing projects as we need to consolidate the populations of the districts as some infrastructure like schools could become underutilised if all the people continue moving to Perseverance,” said the minister.

Speaking about the new sewage plant at Baie Lazare, Minister Lionnet said his ministry tried many options, building new septic tanks and drain fields to mitigate the sewage problem there but it did not work.

“We have thus taken a decision that all high density projects which are not close to centralised sewage treatment plants in Victoria and Beau Vallon should have their own sewage treatment plants.

 If we get the R16 million in the 2014 budget, we will build three more plants at Moulinie estate, Karl Tamatave estate on Praslin and at La Gogue. There are others to be built but we cannot do all at once,” said Minister Lionnet.