Hurricane Relief Supplies to be Allocated in Transparent Manner – Franklyn

Jamaicans living overseas have been re-assured that their hurricane relief contributions will be distributed in a non-partisan and transparent manner.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Delano Franklyn, said every effort was being made to ensure that the process of recovery was done speedily and efficiently.
“We want to be able, at the end of the day, to demonstrate to Jamaicans outside of Jamaica, and the rest of the world, that such a process can be done in a credible manner,” he added.
The State Minister was addressing a Town Hall meeting recently at the Hillside Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia, organized by the Atlanta Jamaican Association.
Senator Franklyn informed over 250 Jamaicans in attendance that Prime Minister P.J. Patterson had established the Office of National Reconstruction (ONR), with a mandate to direct the recovery process, following the passage of Hurricane Ivan over four weeks ago.
He said the office was entrusted with the responsibility of receiving cash and kind donations internally and externally, with a view to ensuring that the process was efficient and transparent and that “every cent that is being contributed will be properly accounted for at the end of the day”.
Senator Franklyn said the country had received assistance from corporate companies within Jamaica, overseas countries and a number of international organizations, as well as contributions from Jamaicans all over the world.
He commended the various donors for their contributions and paid special tribute to the Atlanta Jamaican Community for donating over US$12,000 and a container of supplies valued at US$15,000.
Bringing the audience up to date on the recovery process, Mr. Franklyn informed that in relation to educational institutions, water supply and electricity, they were up and running at about 90 per cent throughout the island.
Senator Franklyn said that one of the challenges facing the government now was to get Jamaicans to adhere to the building code and not to build in restricted areas. He said the government would be implementing measures to ensure place that the citizens adhered to the building codes.