KINGSTON, Jamaica — On Thursday, Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr, alongside Members of Parliament Homer Davis, Edmund Bartlett, and Marlene Malahoo Forte, presented cheques to 162 affected residents in the parishes of St James and Hanover. These disbursements, totaling $21 million, were part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s ongoing efforts to support individuals in rebuilding their homes following the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl.
The cheque presentation ceremony, held at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre in St James, marked a significant milestone in the $1 billion Rebuild Jamaica Programme. This initiative aims to assist residents whose homes sustained varying degrees of damage due to the hurricane. Minister Charles Jr emphasized the importance of utilizing the funds solely for rebuilding purposes.
“I don’t want to hear MP Tamika Davis saying to me that people who get the $400,000 cheque end up at her office. I don’t want to hear MP Homer Davis telling me that him hear about a lady who gone to buy weave or a man who gone a the bar,” Minister Charles Jr cautioned. He stressed the necessity of adhering to proper building standards, urging residents to use hurricane straps and screws for more resilient construction.
The Rebuild Jamaica Programme structured the financial aid based on the severity of the damages: minor damage received J$50,000, severe damage J$150,000, and total destruction J$400,000. This meticulous categorization ensures that the funds are proportionate to the needs of the affected residents.
Minister Charles Jr also revealed the extent of the impact, noting that around 1,200 assessments were conducted between the two parishes. “For Hanover and for St James, more than 600 assessments were done for each parish, meaning that between those two parishes, at least 1,200 persons were impacted. That’s a lot. That’s a lot of children, a lot of elderly, a lot of people in vulnerable situations,” he stated.
Although not all affected individuals were present at the ceremony, the selected representatives symbolized the collective needs and resilience of the communities. The focus now shifts to ensuring that the distributed funds contribute effectively to the recovery and fortification of the homes and lives impacted by the hurricane.
This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to rebuilding and supporting its citizens in times of natural disasters, reinforcing the importance of community resilience and proper resource allocation.
