Gov’t to pump another $2b into ROOFS programme

WESTERN BUREAU:

More households are set to benefit from the Government’s ROOFS (Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters) programme as $2 billion has been added to the original allocation amid complaints that many persons who were impacted by Hurricane Melissa have not received any assistance.

Speaking during a housing handover in the York Bush section of Mount Carey, St James, last Friday, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness disclosed that just over half of the roughly 115,000 households assessed had received grants.

“... There still remains a significant number of persons who, to this date, have not yet received a grant, and it is creating – I know, I am aware – significant frustration, and I can understand,” Holness said.

“So to date, we have made approximately $12 billion of allocation to the ROOFS programme, and in a few days we will make an additional $2 billion,” he added.

Holness explained that the Government initially estimated that $20 billion would be required to assist the affected households, but competing national priorities had made it difficult to provide the entire allocation immediately.

“Taking up $20 billion at once could mean that we can’t repair the schools or we can’t repair the health centre,” he explained.

The announcement comes as communities across St James Southern continue to grapple with the devastation caused by Melissa, which ripped roofs from houses, destroyed buildings and infrastructure, and disrupted livelihoods.

Recalling an aerial assessment immediately after the hurricane, Holness described the destruction he witnessed.

“When I flew over this constituency, you literally could see the pathway. It destroyed trees and houses and left a trail of destruction,” he said.

Holness further stressed that increasing expenditure on housing recovery would require sacrifices elsewhere in government spending.

“We have to manage your tax money very carefully,” he said.

The Government has imposed restrictions on non-essential official overseas travel by ministers and public-sector employees until March 31, 2027, as part of expenditure-containment measures.

Holness indicated that further spending reductions would be introduced to free up resources for hurricane recovery.

“What I’m trying to do as your prime minister is to find more to put on the ROOFS programme,” he declared.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com