Twenty vulnerable families in Barbuda were today handed keys to newly repaired or rebuilt homes under the European Union (EU) funded Housing Support to Barbuda project. Five of the houses required major repairs while fifteen new homes were built to replace ones which were destroyed in Hurricane Irma.
The milestone represents the completion of the first phase of the project which is being led by the Government of Antigua & Barbuda and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A bidding process is currently underway for the second phase of the project. Using the “Build Back Better” (BBB) approach, in compliance with the 2015 OECS Building Code, as well as the Antigua and Barbuda Building Guidelines, the homes are designed to better withstand future storms.
Recipients were chosen using strict vulnerability criteria by a Beneficiary Selection Committee (BSC) comprised of members from the Barbuda Council, Development Control Authority (DCA), Office of the National Authorizing Officer (ONAO), National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs. The UNDP plays an advisory role on the BSC.
