[Umbrella] Chinese Government provides grants worth $11.2 million USD for Phase I of the Grenada Low Income Housing Project (Linked to Record ID#39861, #63823, #63824, #63825, #63826, #39677, #63827, and #54890)

In 2005, when Grenada re-established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, the Chinese Government and the Government of Grenada signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Grenada Low Income Housing Project. The Grenada Low Income Housing Project included the construction of 2,000 low income housing units.

The project was intended to address the lack of housing in Grenada after the destruction the island's housing sector experienced during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The Chinese Government provided several grants to the Government of Grenada for the first phase.

In total, it provided $11,193,000 USD, including $3 million USD in 2006, $3 million USD in 2007, $500,000 USD in 2008, $1.5 million USD in 2010, $3 million USD in 2012, and $193,000 USD in 2014. The Chinese Government also signed an ETCA for a $1.33 million XCD grant for the project in 2013.

The disbursements between 2006 to 2014 are captured by the following projects: 2006: ID#39861 2007: ID#63823 2008: ID#63824 2010: ID#63825 2012: ID#63826 2013: ID#39677 2014: ID#63827 Beijing Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (BCEG) was the contractor responsible for project implementation, while China International Engineering Design & Consult Co., Ltd. (CIEDC) was the contractor responsible for project design and the Xinjiang Institute of Building was the contractor responsible for project supervision.

The first phase of the project included the construction of 361 units. Construction was set to begin in 2009.

The project held a groundbreaking ceremony on November 27, 2009 that was attended by Prime Minister of Grenada Tillman Thomas.

The 353 units of the first phase were handed over to the Government of Grenada on August 24, 2012, but these units were incomplete because the Government of Grenada at the time was unable to provide the counterpart funding required to supply the units with electricity, water and sewage facilities. Additional work began on February 12, 2014 and was expected to be done within 6 months.

The additional work was completed in September 2014. A housing distribution ceremony was held by the Government of Grenada on May 20, 2015. Of the 361 units in the first phase, there were 181 units at Mt. Gay, 28 units at Frequente, and 158 units at Soubise. The total cost of the project -- which included financing from the Government of Grenada -- was $35 million XCD.

Soubise is located in St. Andrew’s, while Mt. Gay and Frequente are located St. George’s. This project was followed by a second phase, as captured by linked Record ID#54890.