Housing - New beginning for 17 families |14 April 2014

Seventeen families from the district of Glacis on Saturday got the keys to their new homes at Carana.
The 17 units is the second phase of a housing project financed entirely by the government.

It was Michel Roucou, the community relations officer for the Property Management Corporation (PMC) who presented the families with their house keys in the presence of the member of the National Assembly for Glacis, Dr David Payet, principal secretary in the Ministry of Land Use and Habitat Joseph François, the Parti Lepep’s central community member for Glacis Sebastien Pillay, the district’s administrator Claudy Mathiot, among other guests.

Addressing the families, Mr François apologised for the delay in the completion of the project’s second phase.
He said they had to change contractor and also encountered problems with the sewerage.

He thanked the families for their patience and understanding.

“I would like to note that all of you who have received your keys have been financially contributing towards your homes without stopping,” Mr François added.

The whole project started in 2004 and the first phase was completed in 2006. However, the second phase took nearly ten years to complete. It went into a pause in 2008 and resumed in 2010 until it was finally completed in August last year.

The 17 units delivered on Saturday comprise 10 units of three bedrooms, six units of two bedrooms and one unit of one bedroom which have cost the government just over R9 million. The project forms part of the government’s aim to realise its social programme of giving the Glacis residents their own homes.

“The delivery of keys to you today represents a big step in realising my plan for the Glacis district, in giving all Glacis residents the chance of owning their own homes,” Dr Payet said.

“This year we have delivered 21 houses to the Glacis residents, but the list of applicants is still long. However, we have no doubt that we will achieve our objectives of giving all the Glacis residents their own houses,” Dr Payet added.

Julienne Melanie, who has been waiting over 15 years for her own house, said: “I feel very happy to receive the keys to my house. Even if I’ve had to wait all this time, my patience and hope have paid off. I will like to advise those who are still waiting not to give up and to continue contributing towards their house as they will benefit at the end of the day.”