Houses Are Built for IDPs But of Poor Quality

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

The Municipal Development Fund of Georgia spread information about the rehabilitation of the collective shelters of IDPs early this year and the government of Georgia welcomed the initiative with funfair. The excited government once more reminded the population that they are bothered about people. The government presented the rehabilitation plan for collective centers. According to the plan, about 85 000 IDPs shall be sheltered into a new buildings in 2009. The process started and the IDPs started complaining about it.

On August 26, 2009 16 IDP families were sheltered into newly reconstructed building of former nursery school in Belorussia Street N 24 in Kutaisi. The problems started from the very beginning. The IDPs from Abkhazia still fight to improve living conditions in the shelter.

“We have much more problems than it seems at first sight. We do not have water which we carry from the yard. We do not care if every family will not have water in the room but we want to have at least one tap in the building. Besides that we have other problems too; we cannot lock windows and doors; the winter is approaching and we are bothered about it. The water is leaking from the roof because it is not covered properly. Nobody pays attention to us. They left us here and nobody has appeared since then,” said Nazi Morgoshia, an IDP from Abkhazia residing in Belorussian Street N 24.

IDPs dug a hole in the yard to find the water-pipe in order to resolve the problem themselves but in vain. Their attempt to attach the water-pipe of their shelter to the water-system of the city failed. Today, 18 IDP families still carry water from the yard.

“Because of the current problem we applied to Sergo Giorgadze, head of investigation division of the department of revenues in Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Guria and Zemo Svaneti regions. We asked him to examine the living conditions in the shelter and estimate all violations that were committed by the company which reconstructed the building. In short, we requested them to investigate whether the company and the members of the inspecting group had signed any financial or other agreement because we seriously doubt about it. Of course, we have not received a reply from the department,” said Nato Katamadze, chairperson of Kutaisi office of the Republic Party.

Kutaisi City Hall is discharged from the responsibilities. Deputy Mayor of Kutaisi Davit Gordeladze clarified that the implemented activities were observed by the Municipality Development Fund of Georgia and they are responsible for the quality. However, it must be said that members of inspecting group, who were observing the activities, were appointed based on the decree of Nugzar Shamugia, mayor of Kutaisi. They were entitled to check the quality of the implemented activities and to make conclusion on it.

In Kutaisi, the Municipal Development Fund announced competition on the rehabilitation of the nursery school in Belorussian Street N 24. ArkStudio Peristyle Ltd” won the competition and the “Khuro Ltd” carried out the reconstruction activities.

IDPs from the other shelters in Kutaisi also share the problems of the IDPs living in Belorussian Street N 24. They complain about living conditions too.

Government of Georgia approved the Working Plan of State Strategy about IDPs in May of 2009. Implementation of the working plan has already started and it aims to build new residential buildings for 84 900 IDPs and new cottages for 11 500 IDPs. Besides that, the Minister of Refugees and Accommodation, 60 000 IDPs living in the buildings of compact residence will have their accommodations registered as private properties.

Report of the Transparency International –Georgia released in July of 2009 states that the Municipality Development Fund has signed 86 contracts with total price of 75 million GEL. Among them 17 residential buildings are already reconstructed.

“The activities implemented by the Municipal Development Fund are positive precedent. However, there are many questions about the rehabilitation and privatization of collective residential centers. According to the current data, about 96 000 IDPs reside in about 1 600 collective centers throughout Georgia. Most part of collective centers is in poor conditions. According to the working plan, part of those centers will be repaired. In 2009, 400 collective centers will be assigned to the IDPs as private properties. It is urgently necessary to carry out these activities transparently. The more information will be provided to the IDPs, the more they will trust the governmental structures involved in the rehabilitation and privatization process. It will support to resolve all problems that emerge during these activities,” said executive director of the International Transparency – Georgia Tamuna Vardosanidze.

11 collective centers are planned to be rehabilitated in Kutaisi. However, people expect the result of the upcoming reconstruction activities will be similar to the previous one.