Kingston, Jamaica: In response to the devastating impact of the category 4 storm Hurricane Beryl, the government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, has announced a housing grant of $400,000 for the families that have lost their house due to the Beryl.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles Jr, while he was addressing the House of Representatives.
The minister also shared that the families who experienced minor damage will receive up to $50,000, and whose homes have been severely damaged will receive a grant of up to $150,000.
He said that the government understands the challenges that will come along with cheque payments, so to overcome those challenges the authorities are exploring options for electronic payments and cash cards to immediately share these grants. Also, they are looking up for the ways to improve service delivery.
The minister added that the authorities are approaching this restoration process as a partnership with all stakeholders. Moreover, it is expected that these grants will be enhanced by a range of other initiatives, including donor funds and contributions from the Diaspora. It will also include private sector initiatives such as the recently launched National Commercial Bank Foundation’s ‘Building a Better Jamaica Fund’, the CDF (Constituency Development Fund), and Food for the Poor”.
Sharing the updates on the ongoing relief projects, he shared that the Food for the Poor has already replaced around 20 roofs in Clarendon. It was one of the hardest-hit areas and we will continue similar efforts in St Elizabeth tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Charles Jr stated that based on the evaluation of the damage completed so far reveals that around 8700 houses island wide will require some level of support from the government to aid in their recovery and rebuilding. He further shared that majority of the houses have suffered minor damage.
Additionally, the ministry, through its Rehabilitation Grants Programme, will target 500 micro-business operators by providing a $100,000 grant. These businesses have lost their livelihoods because of the hurricane. The total cost of this project will be $50 million.
Further sharing the details on the ministry’s Social Intervention Programme, it is to be noted that $30 million has been assigned to provide grants to at least 200 students at the tertiary level valued at $150,000 each. These 200 students will be acknowledged from the households that have been majorly impacted by the hurricane.
