Barbados has achieved a significant milestone in its long-term recovery from Hurricane Elsa, with 95% of homes damaged during the 2021 storm now fully restored. William Clarke, Chief Estate Officer of the National Housing Corporation (NHC), presented this progress report to Parliament during deliberations on the Ministry of Housing’s $138 million appropriations request. The comprehensive rebuilding program has successfully restored or reconstructed 505 properties across the island nation.
The detailed parish-by-parish breakdown reveals substantial progress: St. George recorded 129 repairs and 70 rebuilds, St. Philip saw 125 repairs with 87 rebuilds, Christ Church documented 98 repairs and 62 rebuilds, while St. Michael accounted for 86 repaired properties. An additional 19 homes were restored across other parishes. Despite this progress, funding constraints have delayed completion of the remaining 5% of properties, primarily those requiring full reconstruction.
Former Housing Minister Dwight Sutherland expressed concern about the delayed completion, warning that structural deterioration in unfinished homes could potentially double rehabilitation costs if not addressed promptly. “Leaving houses without roofs or windows in our climate will inevitably lead to further damage and greater eventual expenditure,” Sutherland cautioned during parliamentary proceedings.
Clarke assured legislators that securing final funding remains a top priority, noting that Prime Minister Mia Mottley has committed to addressing the financial shortfall through separate allocations. The NHC maintains a database of approximately 300 vetted contractors who participated in the initial recovery phase, with mechanisms in place to reactivate these teams once funding is secured. The corporation also emphasized its commitment to developing smaller contractors through targeted training programs, ensuring both immediate project completion and long-term construction capacity building.
“We’re not just finishing houses—we’re building a more resilient construction industry,” Clarke stated, highlighting the dual benefits of the rehabilitation program.