Residence Tulipe (Phase 2) in Baie du Tombeau was inaugurated, on Monday afternoon, by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, Minister of Tourism, Mr Louis Steven Obeegadoo. On that occasion, a symbolical remittance of keys of the social housing units, provided by the National Housing Development Co Ltd (NHDC), was held for six families out of the 56 beneficiaries.
The Parliamentary Private Secretary, Mr Sharvanand Ramkaun, and the Administrative Manager of NHDC Ltd, Mr Soonil Anuth, as well as representatives of the NGO, Caritas Mauritius, were also present.
In his address, DPM Obeegadoo recalled that Residence Tulipe, formerly Cité Tole and Longère Blanc, was set up in 1994 after cyclone Hollanda hit Mauritius. In August 2017, Government decided to construct 150 houses in two phases for these inhabitants and on 14 December 2020, the first phase was inaugurated where 96 families received keys of their houses, he pointed out.
Phase 2, he highlighted, comprises four blocks of six units each. Each unit consists of two levels, two bedrooms, a covered terrace, living cum dining room, bathroom, and kitchen. He recalled that the project has cost some Rs 300 million, with one unit to the tune of Rs 1,9 million. The beneficiaries, he added, will only have to disburse some Rs 705,000 to be paid over 25 to 30 years while Government will contribute Rs 1,2 million for each unit.
DPM Obeegadoo expressed appreciation for work undertaken by Caritas Mauritius which works in collaboration with the Government. A Day Care Centre for children, set up by NHDC Ltd and Caritas Mauritius, at Residence Tulipes, was also inaugurated on the occasion.
He further reiterated Government’s topmost priority of providing decent social housing to struggling families and added that the authorities are accelerating efforts to attain its objective of delivering 12, 000 social housing units. ‘We have indeed increased our capacity, following the allocation of funds in Budget 2020-2021, to construct a greater number of social housing units, at a more rapid pace and in alternative ways’, stated the DPM. He further indicated that from 2011 to 2014, 550 social housing units were constructed and from 2014 to 2020, 1,232 units have been delivered. The objective of Government, he underscored, is to relieve at least 50% of those struggling families by 2024 by providing them with a decent dwelling.
He conveyed his good wishes to the beneficiaries for the new beginnings and fresh start in life while encouraging them to give the best to their children so as to ensure a bright future for them.
