162 Residents of St. James and Hanover Get Hurricane Beryl Assistance

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has distributed cheques totalling $21 million to 162 residents of St. James and Hanover as part of the Government’s ongoing assistance to Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Beryl.

Assessment of damage was conducted over a two-week period, with recipients from St. James receiving a combined $13.2 million and those from Hanover receiving $8.35 million.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, in his address at the recent handover ceremony held at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre, urged the beneficiaries to use the funds to undertake the necessary repairs and improvements to their homes.

“This money is meant to help you get back on your feet,” he said.

The Minister reminded that the funds, which were provided through the Ministry’s $1-billion Rebuild Jamaica Programme, were for those genuinely impacted by the hurricane.

“The broader goal of the initiative is to provide tangible assistance that enables families to restore their living conditions and regain a sense of normalcy. The funds aim to assist in alleviating the financial burden faced by those whose homes were damaged, ensuring that they can focus on their recovery process,” he pointed out.

“Rebuild Jamaica is [everybody’s] business, and that means all of us are in this together. It is a national initiative to rebuild Jamaica as a family, as one community, as one Jamaica, and I expect that we are going to be responsible,” the Minister said, noting that some recipients would receive additional funds from the United Nations World Food Programme in another two weeks.

The beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the support.

“We are really appreciative of the assistance,” said Raymond Lloyd of Montego Bay, who reported that his house was partially destroyed.

Hanover’s Leebert Brown said the Ministry’s intervention “gives affected residents the opportunity to rebuild our homes and lives.”

The 162 recipients represented only a part of the approximately 1, 200 beneficiaries from the two parishes who are earmarked to receive help through the Rebuild Jamaica Programme.

Under the initiative, residents whose homes received minor damage will get $50,000, those with severe damage will receive $150,000, and those whose homes were totally destroyed will get $400,000.