PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson has instructed the Agriculture Ministry to complete its assessment of the damage to the sector within a week, according to Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman.
"There is a certain urgency because until you can complete the estimate and begin to provide the support (such as seeds and fertilisers) you are leaving these people (farmers) at a disadvantage," said Senator Whiteman.
The Information Minister, speaking at Monday's post-Cabinet press briefing, said the recently-established Office of National Reconstruction, mandated to spearhead the post-Ivan recovery programme, has indicated that there are adequate resources within the Ministry to accelerate the survey to meet the one-week deadline.
So far about 3,000 farmers in Manchester and St. Elizabeth have begun to receive assistance.
Turning to electricity, the Minister Whiteman said power had been restored to 90 per cent of the island with the remaining 10 per cent to be completed by October 28.
- D.M
