Great Bay, St. Martin (Thursday, February 8, 2007) – “Based on the financing request that we submitted to USONA, the maximum amounts that would be applied for residents of these homes once they are completed will be an amount of US$250 per home,” Commissioner of Housing, Roy Marlin, disclosed at the weekly Executive Council press briefing Wednesday. This would make decent living facilities more affordable to the low income group, the Commissioner stated.

Marlin said the island government had just received approval from USONA for the financing of the Nafl.7.2 million low-cost housing project at Hope Estate. “This afternoon (Wednesday- ed.) we will be having the signing of the financial agreement between government and USONA. So, finally we can get the development at Hope Estate started,” Marlin said.

He said the process now involves inviting public bids from the contractors and “then going over to the awarding of the contracts for the construction of the homes at Hope Estate”.