The Dominica Business Forum (DBF) explains purpose for National Symposium on Housing and Construction sector

The housing sector was dealt a devastating blow by Hurricane Maria on September 18th, 2017 and as we enter the fifth month after the devastating Hurricane many damaged homes and public buildings are still in a state of disrepair and residents have been subjected to further torture by the inclement weather over the last month, since the temporary covering of tarpaulins have outlived their usefulness.
 
The Dominica Business Forum (DBF) recognizes a dearth in the information divulged to the public to assist in the reconstruction process and further recognizes the need for all stakeholders involved in the housing and construction sector to develop a coordinated approach to deal with the many concerns such as; the appropriate procedures to follow for the rehabilitation of damaged buildings, the quality and availability of building materials, renegotiating mortgages, follow-up action with insurances, areas designated unsafe for housing development, among many others.
 
Having identified the numerous issues affecting the reconstruction process, the Dominica Business Forum (DBF) has taken the initiative to convene a National Symposium on Housing and Construction under the theme; Practical And Sustainable Solutions To The Challenges Of Hurricane Maria: A Private Sector Response on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th January, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Windsor Park Stadium.
 
The target audience for the symposium is the thousands of homeowners who have suffered various levels of loss from the devastation of Hurricane Maria and who are traumatized. The symposium is intended to serve as a clinic to give guidance to the homeowners on how best to proceed with the rehabilitation of their homes, what assistance is available and where they should access such assistance.
 
The Dominica Business Forum considers this initiative to be therapeutic to the healing process in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria where all professionals, businesses and institutions involved in the housing and construction sector, directly or indirectly, should participate in bringing comfort to the citizens of Dominica who have suffered extensively since the hurricane. The Symposium will also focus on the 2018 Hurricane Season which begins on June 1st, a mere four months away, for which the predictions are not encouraging.
 
Meantime, McKenzie has reiterated his call in urging all stakeholders to partner with the DBF for its National Housing and Construction symposium.
 
According to the DBF President, if Dominicans are to stand a chance in surviving the upcoming Hurricane Season, they need to be informed and taught the best practices to ensure they are resilient.

​President of the Dominica Business Forum Severin McKenzie