CIRO trailer homes arrive at George Town Dock

The first trailer home arrives at George Town Dock

Thomas Ebanks of the Public Works Department (left)
and Doss Solomon from the CIRO Subcommittee on
Temporary Housing, stand beside one of the new
trailer homes on the Quayside at George Town

Friday,  January 21, 2005

The first 28 out of 40 Cayman Islands Recovery Operation (CIRO) trailer homes arrived at George Town Dock on Wednesday 19 January. Another 12 trailer homes will arrive at the end of this month. A further 44 trailers are expected to follow, subject to approval.

Speaking at the Quayside, Doss Solomon from CIRO’s subcommittee on temporary housing, said it was expected that each of the trailers would be leased for between $500 and $600 dollars per month.

Mr Solomon said that it was envisioned that most of the trailer homes, “would be used as temporary accommodation only while repairs are being completed on people’s permanent dwellings.”

Thomas Ebanks, who is overseeing the commissioning of the trailers on behalf of the Public Works Department, said that each of the trailers would be sited where they had access to normal water and electricity supplies, and that sewage would be effected by connection to a temporary septic tank, that would be removed when the trailer homes are de-commissioned. 

“There will be three sites altogether, one at East End, one at George Town, and one at West Bay,” Mr Ebanks said.

The first 34 trailer homes have already been allocated to families by the CIRO Subcommittee on Temporary Housing, who have been consulting with the Department of Children and Family services about those families most in need. 

Priority will be given to families looking after the elderly, children, disabled or terminally ill. There would also be priority given to government workers in essential services. 

Privately owned trailers would require a down payment as an incentive to decommissioning at the end of two years, which is the maximum period of time allowed for the trailers to be used as homes.

The Cayman Islands Planning Department has advised residents intending to import a trailer home that they should first contact the Department in order to get approval. Assistant Director of Planning, Ron Sanderson explained that the Department has responsibility to approve all structures on the Islands, including temporary trailer homes. “Since trailer homes are not intended for long term use our department must monitor the time frame and other factors,” Mr. Sanderson said.

  Back...