$225 Million Spent to Purchase Food for Hurricane Victims

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., is reporting that $225.1 million has been spent on procuring food for the Hurricane Melissa emergency response up to December 9.

The category-five hurricane dealt a devastating blow to western Jamaica on October 28.

“It includes $52 million spent pre-hurricane in terms of purchases of food that were pre-positioned across the country and also $173.1 million in post-hurricane expenditure,” the Minister said, during Wednesday’s (December 10) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

For his part, Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Commander Alvin Gayle, said the Government has been able to mount a strong food and relief distribution operation, supported by strong national and international partnerships.

“To date, the Government of Jamaica has distributed just over 340,000 food packages, the ODPEM distributing just over 98,000, while the Jamaica Defence Force, in support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, just over 242,000 packages to affected households, primarily in western Jamaica,” he detailed.

Commander Gayle shared that the Food Assistance Working Group, which includes more than 30 partners, has enabled the production and delivery of food packages and hot meals to 314,000 persons in some 379 communities.

“In total, the Food Assistance Working Group has distributed just over 112,000 food kits, affecting 234 lives, while some 3.3 million hot meals have been distributed to approximately 190,000 persons,” he said.