Africa-Press – Cape verde. Yesterday, the Prime Minister officially launched the construction project for 100 social housing units in the Alto Santa Cruz neighborhood of Espargos, on Sal Island, aiming to combat the island’s housing shortage.
In statements to the press, Ulisses Correia e Silva emphasized the importance of this project, which represents an investment of approximately 341 million escudos, as the second phase of a “major investment.”
The first phase, according to the Prime Minister, has already enabled the rehousing of more than 500 families living in extremely precarious conditions, in shacks without basic sanitation or minimal infrastructure.
Ulisses Correia e Silva emphasized the transformation these families, many with children, have experienced by moving into a reality of “dignified housing.”
The new 100 social housing units will be two-bedroom units and are divided into two lots in the Alto Santa Cruz neighborhood.
In addition to providing decent living conditions inside the homes, with bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, water, sewage, and electricity, the project aims to renovate the entire surrounding area.
The plan, the Prime Minister continued, includes the construction of a chapel, sports facilities, and parks to support residents’ activities, including children’s, with the goal of creating a neighborhood with a higher quality of life.
Ulisses Correia e Silva reinforced the Government’s commitment to eradicating shantytowns, highlighting the “absolute and very large difference” between the 2016 situation and the current one.
In addition to the construction projects, the Government is providing land with infrastructure for self-construction, with the support of the city council and the Government itself, to prevent people from continuing to live in shantytowns.
The Social Housing Construction Program is active on several islands across the country, aiming to provide a progressive response to the housing shortage.
The focus is on low-income families and young people, promoting inclusion, dignity, and civility.
Currently, according to government information, there are 992 housing projects underway in Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Sal, Boa Vista, and Santiago, with another 81 in the adjudication phase in Praia and Fogo, 109 in the bidding phase in Santo Antão, Sal, and Santiago, and 48 projects awaiting bidding in São Vicente.
When asked about concerns about a possible “brain drain” of skilled workers in the tourism sector, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva downplayed the situation, classifying it as an “extrapolation.”
He acknowledged the greater freedom and travel opportunities that young people and adults currently have, facilitated by the CPLP Mobility Agreement, which has made obtaining visas and residency easier.
Despite the government’s efforts to retain talent, he emphasized the importance of managing the situation “with freedom.”
“People have this freedom of choice,” he concluded, adding that, while it is desirable for young people to remain in Cape Verde, there will be no impediments for those who wish to leave, as “one day they will return” and contribute in some way to the country.
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