Officials explain what’s going on with EU funds for Barbuda homes

3

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda signed a 5 million Euros FinancingAgreement with the European Union in July 2018 to support the recovery of Barbuda after the devastation wrecked by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The Financing Agreement also recognized theUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the implementing Agency for the 24-month housing project in Barbuda.

It will be recalled that following the 2017 hurricane, the UNDPramped up its presence in the country by establishing a fully-fledged Project Office in Antigua and Barbuda. As part of the preparatory phase of the project, a Beneficiary Selection Committee (BSC) consisting of national stakeholders has been established.

The membership of the BSC includes the Office of the National Authorizing Officer (Chair), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs, Public Works Department, Development Control Authority, Barbuda Council, and National Office of Disaster Services. UNDP serves as technical advisor to the BSC.

The Committee is tasked with selecting eligible beneficiaries based on a set of selection criteria. The project is designed to support 150 persons who suffered varying degrees of loss to their houses during the 2017hurricane. The eligibility criteria include inter alia, the level of damage to properties and the vulnerability of beneficiaries.

Only homes requiring major repairs such as replacement of roofs and rafters (Level3 classification) and those homes requiring complete rebuilding (Level 4 classification) are being considered. However, cost implications of required repairs and the size of the property are some of the significant determining factors for the homes considered for selection. The Beneficiary SelectionCommittee has continued to meet under the leadership of the Office of the NAO and is expected Implementing the first phase of its work in November 2018.

A comprehensive list of all selected beneficiaries will be published by the ONAO to signify the end of the work of the Committee and commencement of actual project implementation by UNDP in anticipated for January 2019.

Selected beneficiaries will be given the opportunity to thoroughly consider the package of support under the project and to make their decisions regarding whether or not to accept the support being provided.The UNDP will have primary responsibility for day to day management of the project including monitoring and quality assurance of the construction works

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]

3 COMMENTS

  1. Is there any pictures of what’s really going on in Barbuda with the rebuilding of these home?? We here on the main land and around the world who had contributed a lot to Barbuda hurricane recovery need to see where the funds have done so far.
    Dominica has been posting pictures of their hurricane recovery improvements and we can’t see anything on Barbuda.

  2. Watch the news or buy a ticket and come , you guys as soon as you all land in America you all try to sound to wonderful when it’s far from the truth Trump is dealing with them and they still have time to throw their anger on us

  3. The EU is such a cheapskate place – only $5m in ‘aid’ to us? After our country was virtually destroyed, a rich place like Europe only gives us $5m? Europe is not our friend, and neither is the USA.

Comments are closed.