More Government Assistance for Families of Portland Tragedy

Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, will be providing additional assistance to the families of the 14 persons who were killed in the road tragedy in the Dam Bridge Community of the Rio Grande Valley in Portland on December 19.
Minister of State for Project Implementation in the Office of the Prime Minister, Daryl Vaz, disclosed that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, will be providing some $120,000 to each family to help offset the funeral expenses. The money will be paid directly to the funeral homes.
Another $25,000 cash grant will be paid to each family of the deceased to go towards funeral preparations and other expenses. In an effort to finalise the funeral arrangements, Government through the Ministries of Health and National Security, is fast tracking the autopsies on the bodies of those who perished in the tragedy, when the truck in which they were travelling overturned over the precipice in the Dam Bridge Community.
Minister Vaz said that field officers from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be visiting the families of those killed to update them about the Government’s assistance. The dates for the funerals for all 14 persons have not yet been finalised but according to Minister Vaz, the funeral for the eight persons from Millbank has been set for January 25, to facilitate family members coming from abroad. The funeral services for those from Comfort Castle, Ginger House and Moore Town, are expected to take place between mid to late January.
In the meantime, donations continue to come in to the fund which was opened by the Government at the National Commercial Bank, to assist the families of those who perished in the accident. Donations have been provided by several private sector agencies, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Persons wishing to contribute to the fund can send their donations to NCB Current Account 351 077 328.