Gov’t to give grants up to $400K to J’cans who lost homes to Beryl

With an estimated 8,700 houses across the country damaged by Hurricane Beryl, the Government has announced financial support to affected persons to aid in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr announced on Tuesday that families whose houses have been destroyed would receive a grant of up to $400,000. Those whose homes have been severely damaged will receive a grant of up to $150,000, and persons who experienced minor damage will receive up to $50,000.

In a ministerial statement in Gordon House, Charles said the Government is exploring electronic payments and cash cards to expedite the grants and improve service delivery.

Under the Government’s rehabilitation grants programme, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be giving 500 micro business operators who lost their livelihoods a grant of $100,000 each.

Additionally, the Government has allocated $30 million to 200 students at the tertiary level. The students, who will receive $150,000 each, will be identified from households that have been severely impacted by the Category 4 hurricane.

At the same time, Finance and the Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke has given the assurance that the administration would treat as priority the reconstruction and restoration of schools and hospitals.

Concerns have been raised by some school administrators, who are pushing for emergency repairs to institutions impacted by the hurricane in time for reopening in September.

In a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, Clarke said $5 billion has been allocated to address relief and recovery efforts.

The minister said that while $10.9 billion is available in the Disaster Relief Fund, the Government would retain $5.9 billion in the event the country is impacted by another disaster.

“The principle is to leave something back because we don’t know how things are going to unfold,” Clarke said.

The finance minister said $1.3 billion would be disbursed to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to finance programmes announced by the prime minister last week. He said $1 billion has been set aside for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to carry out the programmes announced by Charles.

Clarke also said that expenditure exceeding the $5 billion earmarked for recovery and relief will be financed from the proceeds of donations and through the reallocation of budgetary resources.

He said expenditures undertaken in relation to Hurricane Beryl will be represented in the First Supplementary Estimates to be tabled later this year.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com