New Homes for Shanty Town Residents as Hotel Development Planned for Vieux Fort

August 19, 1999 - Some ninety residents of Shanty Town in Vieux Fort will receive new house lots free of charge in another part of the town as the Government of St. Lucia gets ready for a major hotel development in the area.

According to Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Vieux Fort South, Honourable Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, the Government of St. Lucia is in a position to sign a contract with a regional developer for a hotel to be built on the Moule-a-Chique ridge. But, the Prime Minister says, government felt it necessary to meet with the residents and discuss the proposal with them before the contracts are signed.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister accompanied by officials of the National Development Corporation (NDC) met with residents of Shanty Town and the proposal received vociferous support. A meeting with interested persons from the wider Vieux Fort community was scheduled for Thursday.

As part of the proposed relocation, government will provide roads, water and electricity in Cantonement, the area designated for the new settlement, give the residents title to the new lots and meet the cost of moving the homes. The monies from the sale of the land to the hotel developer will fund the relocation.

Dr. Anthony says he is pleased for the opportunity to improve the quality of life for the residents of Shanty Town who have been squatting on government lands for some time, in generally unsanitary conditions. He notes that the development of an EP hotel with ancillary facilities such as tennis courts and a golf course will go a long way towards addressing some of the unemployment problems in Vieux Fort. The Prime Minister expects that the other residents who will not be relocated will have the opportunity to improve their surroundings and develop alternative businesses to service the hotel.

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