Gov’t Commences ‘ROOFS’ Grant Disbursements for Hurricane Melissa Recovery

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced the commencement of the disbursement of financial assistance to persons affected by Hurricane Melissa, under the Government’s Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) Programme.

Speaking during a handover ceremony at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security office in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, on January 30, Dr. Holness advised that the disbursement includes payments for severe damage valued at up to $500,000.

He noted that 50 beneficiaries have already received assistance through the Ministry’s digital voucher modality.

“The Government has distributed 1,234 grants under the ROOFS Programme. We have done this by direct transfers… meaning it has gone from the bank account of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security into the bank accounts of the 1,234 beneficiaries, and that process will be ongoing,” the Prime Minister stated.

“As we verify a bank account, we send you a text to tell you that it has hit your bank account. These are mainly people who would have received minor damage, but are also in the highly vulnerable category… primarily persons who are elderly and persons with disabilities,” he added.

Dr. Holness stated that the 50 persons who have received assistance to date, via digital vouchers, were assessed as having sustained severe damage, noting that they have “gotten their $500,000 grant to restore their roofs.”

“Verification of the process is very important. It is one thing to deliver the grant… but it is another to ensure that it’s done [properly]. What we want to do is to make sure that every dollar of the grant ends up in your pocket (the right beneficiary) and not somebody else who never deserved it,” he further explained.

In further highlighting the ROOFS initiative as a central pillar of the Government’s response to storms and their aftershocks, Dr. Holness underscored that it also reinforces the Administration’s commitment to compassionate governance, rapid aid distribution, and structural reforms designed to strengthen Jamaica’s resilience for years to come.

The Prime Minister also emphasised that the programme is designed to rapidly restore safe housing for those most vulnerable to the brutal impacts of natural disasters.

For his part, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., announced that the initiative will provide targeted grants to qualifying households, ensuring a swift transition from evaluation to tangible improvements.

“The shelter recovery support under the Shelter Recovery Programme marks a pivotal transition from damage assessment to the coordinated delivery of shelter solutions for households affected by Hurricane Melissa. This ceremony signals the rollout of assistance under the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS). It is a grant-based component designed to aid homeowners whose properties were damaged by the hurricane,” Minister Charles said.

“It is with this commitment that we have designed a data-driven recovery system, guided by the principle of ‘one household, one coordinated recovery pathway’. Support is determined by verified need, not discretion, ensuring dignity for beneficiaries and transparency for the public,” he added.

Under the ROOFS initiative, grant sums are determined by verified assessments: $75,000 for minor damage, $200,000 for major damage, and $500,000 for severe damage.

Minister Charles further emphasised that eligibility hinges on documented need, with the system designed to safeguard beneficiaries’ dignity and ensure public accountability as Jamaica rebuilds in the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s impact.