KINGSTOWN, St Vincent — Prime Minister Godwin Friday said on 29 December 2025 that his government will provide housing on Union Island for residents still displaced by Hurricane Beryl, and criticised the pace of recovery as too slow.
Friday’s New Democratic Party took office in early December after winning the November 2025 general election. Hurricane Beryl struck on 1 July 2024 and damaged more than 90 per cent of buildings on Union Island, Mayreau and Canouan in the Southern Grenadines.
Many displaced islanders are renting on mainland St Vincent and facing pressure from landlords, Caribbean National Weekly and the St Vincent Times reported. The previous government’s programme of prefabricated homes delivered about 100 units; the new administration said it was weighing whether to continue it or switch to local construction. Friday also called for better insurance arrangements and closer regional cooperation on disaster recovery.
What it means
Analysis: A shift from imported prefab units to local building would change who wins reconstruction contracts in the Grenadines and could slow delivery in the short term. The insurance gaps the prime minister highlighted are a live risk for anyone who owns property in the Southern Grenadines.
Editor’s note: This article was added to the Jamaica Homes News archive on 30 September 2026. It reports events from December 2025 and is dated to when they were reported.
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