By LAUREL V WILLIAMS Thursday, July 29 2010

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Youth award: Sherelle Young receives an emancipation award from Minister of Housing Dr Roodal Moonilal at Emancipation Day celebrations at his constit...

REMEDIAL works to correct flaws on houses constructed by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) under the Patrick Manning-led PNM administration could cost up to about $130 million.

This was the estimate given yesterday by Housing and Development Minister, Dr Roodal Moonilal, who initially believed repair works would have amounted to about $50 million.

Moonilal, who is also the MP for Oropouche East, was addressing reporters following an Emancipation Day celebration held at his constituency’s office located at Debe Junction.

“I was told that it can cost $99 million to fix these houses throughout the country which have been built already. We have started (work on) some already. Estimates are still being done and they could reach between $125 to $130 million, that is in addition to the billion spent to build them,” Moonilal said.

Just a few weeks after being elected into Government, Moonilal estimated that at least $50 million would have had to be spent on correcting construction flaws by the HDC.

Moonilal had raised concerns saying the government houses were unsuitable to live in due to what he described as shabby workmanship.

A major concern was the movements in the land, formerly used by workers of the now defunct Caroni 1975 Ltd, causing structural damage particularly in the Debe, Golconda, Retrench and Corinth housing schemes.

Yesterday, Moonilal told reporters tests were currently underway to reduce the wait of the potential homeowners.

“We are doing testing for the geological studies to ensure we do proper remedial works. We cannot do it without the proper testing of the soil. There is an ongoing process with the repairs,” Moonilal said.

Managing director of HDC, Jearlean John, echoed similar sentiments and added that when these houses are left unoccupied, it bears a cost to the HDC.

“It costs $38,000 per unit to rehabilitate — multiply that by 8,000 units. It costs us when the houses are empty, not that we have been delinquent. We have security officers at these units, but yet the vandals get in and they are causing havoc,” John said, adding the unoccupied houses cost $4 million per month.

Like Moonilal, she was unsure of the completion date of correcting the flaws so as to allocate houses to the people. “Once we have been remedied, we are waiting on the allocation list.

“We have a budget, but we do not have the money. We are ready; we are organised,” John added yesterday.